while belshazzar is asleep, in his dream the queens enter with a statue – it is belshazzar as a god. the queens praise belshazzar and build him up. the statue warns belshazzar in his sleep that he needs to leave idolatry and vanity behind or else he will suffer because of them. the statue tells the dream queens that the great god decrees them gone. belshazzar wakes up and is troubled by what he saw and felt in his sleep. he starts to question keeping so much stock in idolatry and vanity. however, idolatry seduces him again and he returns to his former self. thought suggests belshazzar throw a feast to shake off all of the melancholy. belshazzar calls for the gold wine glasses and wine reserved for presenting the eucharist to be used, because he deserves the best. idolatry and vanity set the table for the feast while thought sings.