DANIEL Hero of the Hebrew myths, Daniel was cast into the fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar, but suffered no hurt, being under the protection of his god, Yahweh. When mysterious writings appeared on the wall of the palace, only Daniel could interpret them, their meaning being a prophecy of the imminent rise of the Persians. Continuing to refuse to pray to any god but his own, Daniel was thrown into a den of lions, but Yahweh sent his angel to protect his follower, and shut the lions' mouths. Eventually his persecutor, Nebuchadnezzar, was driven from the land to live as an animal in the desert.