John Calvin Commentary Daniel 11:44

"But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him; and he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to sweep away many." — Daniel 11:44 (ASV)

The angel’s narrative seems here to differ somewhat from the preceding one, as the Romans were not to succeed so completely as to avoid being halted in the midst of their victorious course. He says, they shall be frightened by rumors, and the events fit this description, for although the Romans subdued the whole east with hardly any trouble, and in a few years, yet they were afterwards checked by adversity.

For Crassus perished miserably after plundering the temple, and destroyed himself and the flower of the Roman army; he was conquered at Carrhae, near Babylon, in an important engagement, through betrayal by a spy in whom he had placed too much confidence. Antony, again, after dividing the world into three parts between himself, Octavius, and Lepidus, suffered miserably in the same neighborhood against the Parthians.

We are not surprised at the angel’s saying, The Romans should be frightened from the east and the north, as this really came to pass. Then he adds, they should come in great wrath; meaning, although they would lose many troops, yet this severe massacre would not depress their spirits.

When their circumstances were desperate, they were excited to fury like savage beasts of prey, until they rushed upon their own destruction. This came to pass especially under the reign of Augustus; for, during a short period, he contended successfully with the Parthians and compelled them to surrender. He then imposed conditions of peace on them; and as the Roman eagles had been carried into Persia, much to their disgrace, he compelled that nation to return them. By this compulsion, he blotted out the disgrace which they had suffered under Antony.

We see, then, how exceedingly well this suits the context: the Romans shall come with great wrath to destroy many; as the Parthians expected to enjoy tranquillity for many ages and to be perfectly free from any future attempt or attack from the Romans.