And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
Ver. 3. And four great beasts.] Regnorum feritas bestiarum nomine demonstratur, saith Jerome. The fierceness of the four kingdoms is set forth by the name of beasts. Bellum a belluis. Monarchies are mostly gotten, kept, and governed with violence and tyranny. Psa 76:4 Son 4:8 Regna mundana parantur et retinentur bellis. Commune vitium monarchiis et tyrannis.