“palace-fortress.” See commentary on Esther 1:2.

“I was by the Ulai Canal.” Although some commentators think that Daniel really was by the Ulai Canal and away from Babylon on some kind of mission, the more natural reading of the text is that it was part of his vision that he was by the Ulai. The reason that God took Daniel to Susa and the Ulai Canal in the vision is not stated, but we know that Persia conquered Babylon and Susa was eventually one of the capital cities of Persia (Esther 1:2). So it seems likely that Daniel was made to understand that even as the vision God gave him portrayed the fall of Babylon to Persia, so Daniel was taken to Persia to emphasize that point.