βολίσαντες, εὗρον ὀργυιὰς δεκαπέντε" 29. φοβούμενοί τε] µήπως eis τραχεῖς τόπους ἐκπέσωσιν, ἐκ πρύµνης ῥίψαντες ἀγκύρας τέσσαρας,
ηὔχοντο ἡμέραν γενέσθαι.
30. τῶν δὲ ναυτῶν ἵητούντων Φυγεῖν ἐκ
τοῦ πλοίου, καὶ χαλασάντων τὴν σκάφην eis τὴν θάλασσαν,” προφάσει
1 For pnts, Tisch., W.H., R.V., Blass, Weiss read µηπου with NBC 13, 40, 61.
Hilgenfeld (1899) retains µηπως with HLP (A pyre).
Instead of εις SABC have
κατα, so Tisch., W.H., R.V., Weiss, Wendt, Blass, but Hilgenfeld has ets (Vulg.,
Gig., i7).
εκπεσωµεν SABCHLP Vulg., Syr. P. and H., Boh., Tisch., W.H., R.V.,
Blass, Weiss, Wendt, Hilg. After γενεσθαι Blass in B text (so Hilg.) adds του
ειδεναι ει σωθηναι δυναµεθα with Gig.
2 After θαλ. Blass in β text adds ευκαιριαν ζητονντων, so Hilgenfeld (1899) with Gig., and after εκτ. both add on the same authority του ασφαλεστερον το πλοιον
εσταναι.
the sounding-lead (βολίς), elsewhere only in Eustath., in active voice, but see also Grimm-Thayer, sub υ.--- ὀργνιὰς: five or six feet, a fathom, Grimm; Breusing compares Herod., iv., 41, and gives six feet; on the accent see Winer- Schmiedel, p. 72. ‘‘ The ancient fathom so nearly agrees with the English that the difference may be neglected,” J. Smith, p. 131.—Bpaxd δὲ διαστήσαντες: “and after a little space,’’ so Ramsay, Rendall; the phrase may refer to space or time; if we understand τὸ πλοῖον or ἑαυτούς we should take it of the former (Grimm); but if we explain = βραχὺ διάστηµα ποιήσαντες (Blass), it may be taken of either. διῖστημι is only found in Luke for signifying any space of time, Luke xxii. 59, cf. Acts v. 7; but Luke xxiv. 51,-8iéorn at” αὐτῶν. J. Smith shows how exactly the geographical details in the traditional St. Paul’s Bay correspond with the description here. Before a ship drifting from Cauda could enter the bay it would not only pass within a quarter of a mile of Point Kaura, north-east of Malta, but the measurements of 20 and 15 fathoms exactly correspond to ascertained sound- ings according to the vessel’s average of speed.
Ver. 29. φοβούμενοι: the diminution of the depth of water increased the danger of running aground, perhaps on some hidden reef of rocks.—rpayets τόπους, cf. Luke iii. 5, in quotation Isa. xl. 4; nowhere else in Ν.Τ., cf. Bar. iv. 26 (3 Macc. i. 23), so in Diod. Sic., xii., 72, of rocks, Polyb., i., 54. It was evi- dently a hydrographic term, and classed with 8vcoppos, ἀλίμενος, etc., Jul. Pollux, i, 101; J. Smith, p. 132.--ἐκπέσωμεν, see ver. 17, ‘to cast ashore,” R.V., or simply “cast on rocky ground,’”’ which is more indefinite than the former rendering, and
perhaps correctly so, as there were pos- sible dangers from sunken reefs as well as from a rocky coast. On the subjunc- tive after verbs of fear and danger cf. Burton, p. 15.—ék πρύμνης: this was unusual, but to anchor was their only chance of safety, and four anchors would make the vessel more secure: ancient vessels carried as a rule several anchors. Athenzus speaks of a ship which had eight iron anchors, cf. for the number here, and the security which they gave, Cesar, Bell. Civ.,i., 25, “ naves quaternis anchoris destinabat, ne fluctibus move- rentur”’ ; anchorage from the prow would have caused the ship to swing round from the wind, whereas anchorage from the stern would enable the sailors to manage the ship far more easily, and to bring her under control of the helm when they wished to run her aground (see the description in Ramsay, Rendall, Farrar, and J. Smith). On the interest- ing parallels of anchoring ships from the stern in our own naval engage- ments see C. and H., small edition, p. 653, and J. Smith, p. 133, 4th edition. — ηὔχοντο: “prayed,” R.V. margin, the Greek sailors might pray at such a crisis (Rendall).—ypépav γενέσθαι, cf. vv. 33, 39, characteristic of Luke, cf. Luke iv. 42, vi. 13, xxli. 26, Acts xii. 18, xvi. 35, XXill, 12.