Are the visions in the Book of Daniel "ex eventu" prophecy?  One reason to think they are not is because, unlike most such "prophecy," the visions in Daniel are great writing.  We've got *lots* of stuff we *know* is ex eventu, and it's all very bad stuff.  An example below: my own attempt at ex eventu prophecy.  Wouldn't you be amazed if I told you I had written this in 1974, the year I graduated from college?  Well, I didn't.

And I looked and saw an elephant with its legs bound, unable to turn to the right or to the left.  And a great tusk grew on the right, and the elephant grew strong and broke its chains. 

 

And in those days the hope of morning shall arise out of the west, and riches shall trickle down at his command.  He will wage battle in the stars. The great wall will tumble, and the bear will lie groveling at his feet.  The dragon also will tremble, and the liars will be put to shame.

 

And the elephant will grow great, and its great tusk will wound the donkey.

 

And I looked and saw the great tusk depart, and in its place a lesser tusk, with oil and gold in its hands and in its mouth a foot of silver.  And in his days the eagle shall fly over the east, and over the whole of the land, and none might stop him. And I read the words on the lips of the tusk, but the words faded and were forgotten.

 

And I saw the donkey rise up and prevail over the elephant, and on his back a teller of lies. And the Elephant made a covenant with the people and grew strong. But the teller-of-lies made a league with the dragon, and with dragon’s gold made strong his defense and so prevailed a second time over the Elephant.

 

But then there appeared on the Donkey’s back a man of green, and on the Elephant a branch of the silver foot. And the elephant prevailed like a thief, and the Donkey screamed with hate.  And, behold, on the Donkey a triple-hearted man.  And, behold, the triple-hearted man rode on both sides of the Donkey. But the boats of swiftness came to the aid of the Elephant, and the Elephant triumphed again.

 

And when no man could prevail against the Elephant, Behold! A woman scorned upon the Donkey’s back. And the elephant’s great right tusk was lost and the elephant was divided and close to death.

 

But there rose up on the Donkey’s left a man of black and white. And neither the she-dog nor the man could prevail, so the donkey was split in two. And the elephant rose once more to fight with a wounded warrior on his back.

 

So the donkey prevailed once and again. Chariots were crushed and the healing doors were opened.  Black and many-colored flags filled the skies, and paper pillars guarded golden men as they filled their sacks.    

 

And the scorned woman believed her time had come, but a great fire arose on the donkey’s left, and, while the fire was quenched, it’s burn still lingered.  Sixteen figures tried to mount the elephant, but all were swallowed by a gaping mouth.  The mouth swallowed the woman as well, making great promises.  And many of the donkey’s followers donned red hats, and the gaping mouth seemed unstoppable, and fear rose within the swamp.  But a great plague from the east swept over the land, and people hid in great fear.  Black flags rose, and cities were torn by violence.  The great fire broke out anew, but it was quenched again and, on the Donkey’s back rode a puppet. But the mouth was gagged, and, from under the earth, the puppet prevailed.

 

And the donkey tried to smash the mouth forever and the red-hatted ones who gave him life.  But the mouth prevailed again aided by a star-man and Donkey-riders.  Black-robed figures arose to stop the mouth.

 

And the land trembled….