although, if we include Tiberius, under whom the crucifixion of our Lord Himself and the martyrdom of St. Stephen took place, there were eleven emperors who persecuted the Church, we may certainly conclude from history that there were seven who were conspicuous above all the rest of the emperors for the terrible cruelty with which they waged this infernal war; and these seven I should enumerate thus: 1. Nero; 2. Domitian; 3. Trajan; 4. Hadrian; 5. Decius; 6. Aurelian; 7. Dioclesian: and it would seem that Dioclesian was the worst of them all.
But there is another reason for interpreting in this passage the seven heads, exclusively of the emperors, and it is that they are expressly said to be diademed heads, an appellation which belongs more properly to the emperors than to any of the other governing powers, if, at least, we except that of the kings. Also by the seven diademed heads I understand the whole body of the emperors persecuting the Church under the influence of the seven deadly sins, for we must observe that the dragon, who is described as having these seven diademed heads, is primarily Satan, and it is by these seven capital sins that he governs his impious kingdom over the bodies and souls of men. Then by the ten horns I understand
