The first beast, a lion, also represented Babylon. The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. Daniel 7:4 Its wings being plucked off symbolize the slowing down of the speed of the expansion of the Babylonian Empire. A man's heart given to it symbolizes the weakness of the empire at the time.