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Paul's Route to Rome.
curred which favored the plan, and by the aid of a light breeze from the south they were sailing towards Phoenix (now Liitro), when a violent north-east wind [see Eu- roclydon] came down from the land (Kar airi/c, scU. KpliTYjo), caught the vessel, and compelled them to let her drive before the wind. In this course they arrived under the lee of a small island called Clauda, about twenty miles from Crete, where they took advantage of comparatively smooth water to get the boat on board, and to undergird, or frap, the ship. There was a fear lest they should be driven upon the Syrtis on the coast of Africa, and the}' therefore " lowered the gear," or sent down upon deck the gear connected with the fair-weath- er sails, and stood out to sea " with storm-sails set and on the starboard tack" (Smith). The bad weather con- tinued, and the ship was lightened on the next day of her way-freight, on the third of her loose furniture and tack- ling. For many days neither sun nor stars wore visible to steer by, the storm was violent, and all began to de- spair of safety. The general discouragement was ag- gravated by the abstinence caused by the difficulty of preparing food, and the spoiling of it; and in order to raise the spirits of the whole company, Paul stood forth one morning to relate a vision which had occurred to him in the night. An angel of the God " whose he was and whom he served" had appeared to him and said, "P'ear not, Paul: thou must be brought before Ciesar; and lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee." At the same time he predicted that the vessel would be cast upon an island and be lost.
This shipwreck was to happen speedily. On the four- teenth night, as tliey were drifting through the sea [see Adkia], about midnight, the sailors perceived indica- tions, probably the roar of breakers, that land was near. Their suspicion was confirmed by soundings. They therefore cast four anchors out of the stern, and waited
anxiously for daylight. After a while the sailors low- ered the boat with the professed purpose of laying out anchors from the bow, but intending to desert the ship, which was in imminent danger of being dashed to pieces. Paul, aware of their intention, informed the centurion and the soldiers of it, who took care, by cutting the ropes of the boat, to prevent its being carried out. He then addressed himself to the task of encouraging the whole company, assuring them that their lives would be preserved, and exhorting them to refresh themselves quietly after their long abstinence with a good meal. He set the example himself, taking bread, giving thanks to God, and beginning to eat in presence of them all. After a general meal, in which there were two hundred and seventy-six persons to partake, they further light- ened the ship by casting overboard the cargo (riv alrov, the "wheat" with which the vessel was laden). When the light of the dawn revealed the land, they did not recognise it, but they discovered a creek with a smooth beach, and determined to run the ship aground in it. So they cut away the anchors, unloosed tlie rudder- paddles, raised the foresail to the wind, and made for the beach. When they came close to it they found a narrow channel between the land on one side, which proved to be an islet, and the shore ; and at this point, where the " two seas met," they succeeded in driving the fore part of the vessel fast into the claj'C}- beach. The stern began at once to go to pieces under the action of the breakers ; but escape was now within reach. The soldiers suggested to their commander that the prison- ers should be effectually prevented from gaining their liberty by being killed ; but the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped this proposition, and gave orders that those who could swim should cast themselves first into the sea and get to land, and that the rest should follow with the aid of such spars as might be available.
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By this creditable combination of humanity and disci- pline tlie deliverance was made as complete as Paul's assurances had predicted it would be.
The land on which they had been cast was found to belong to Malta. See Melita. The very point of the stranding is made out with great probability by Mr. Smith. The inhabitants of the island received the wet and exhausted voyagers with no ordinary kindness, and immediately lighted a tire to warm them. This partic- ular kindness is recorded on account of a curious inci- dent connected with it. The apostle was helping to make the fire, and had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, when a viper came out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand they believed him to be poisoned by the bite, and said among themseh'es, "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has es- caped from the sea, yet Vengeance suffers not to live." But when they saw no harm come of it, they changed their minds and said he was a god. This circumstance, as well as the honor in -which he was held by Julius, would account for Paul being invited with some others to stay at the house of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius. B3' him they were courteously entertained for three days. The father of Publius happened to be ill of fever and dj'sentery, and was cured by Paul ; and when this was known many other sick persons were brought to him and were cured. So there was a pleasant interchange of kind- ness and benefits. The people of the island showed the apostle and his company much honor, and when they were about to leave loaded them with such things as they would want. The Roman soldiers would carry with them to Rome a deepened impression of the char- acter and the powers of the kingdom of which Paul was the herald.