called Good-havens, nigh to which was the city of Thalassa. And when much time was spent, and when sailing now was dangerous, because the fast (1) was now past, Paul comforted" and at the same time advised "them, saying to them: Ye men; I see that the Voyage beginneth to be with injury and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives."

That plainly signified that it was better to remain where they were until a more favorable season. "But the centurion believed the pilot and the master of the ship (2) more than those things which were said by Paul. And whereas it was not a commodious haven to winter in, the greater part gave counsel to sail thence, if by any means they might reach Phenice to winter there, which is a haven of Crete, looking towards the southwest and northwest. And the south wind gently blowing, thinking that they had obtained their purpose, when they had loosed from Asson, they sailed close by Crete."

"But," and this is the beginning of the storm, "not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euro-aquilo (3). And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up against the

(1) This fast was that of the feast of expiation, which occurred about the autumnal equinox. To say that this fast was over, signified that the season had now set in when navigation became dangerous.

(2) So long as he did not regard St. Paul as an inspired man, he was quite right to be advised rather by the pilot and shipmaster; but he very soon found out that the knowledge which comes from heaven is far more certain than that which is merely the result of reason and experience.

(3) The Greek calls it Euroclydon, which signifies a stormy east wind, without determining whether it was northeast or southeast; but the author of the Vulgate, who lived at that time, could not but know what wind it was that the Greeks called euroclydon, and since he has termed it northeast, it must really have been so. Thus, suppose it were hereafter doubted what wind it is that the Italians call sirocco, if it were found that a writer of our time had translated it by southwest wind, that authority would be regarded as decisive, because it is taken for granted that an author will not be ignorant of a thing so well known. This observation, though apparently of little consequence, gives considerable weight to the common opinion, which is that the vessel anchored at the island of Malta, and not at that of Meleda, which is in the Gulf of Venice. A glance at the map will suffice to show that it was impossible for a vessel driven on by a northeast wind so violent that they were obliged to leave the ship to its control-that it was impossible for such a vessel to make her way from the coast of Crete into the Gulf of Venice.

wind, giving up the ship to the winds, we were driven. And running under a certain island that is called Cauda (1), we had much work to come by the boat. Which being taken up, they used helps (2), under-girding the ship (3), and fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, they let down the sail-yard (4), and so were driven. And we being mightily tossed with the tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; and the third day they cast out with their own hands the tackling of the ship. And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm lay on us, all hope of our being saved was now taken away."

All must, indeed, have perished, had not Heaven heard the prayer of a powerful intercessor, and granted to one the safety of all. "And after they had fasted a long time, Paul standing forth in the midst of them, said: You should indeed, O ye men, have hearkened unto me (5), and not have loosed from Crete, and have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer. For there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but only of the ship. For an angel of God, whose I am (6), and whom I serve, stood by

(1) There is to the south of Crete a small island named Goza, which is believed to be that here mentioned.

(2) The Latin and Greek say, they used helps, which leaves it uncertain whether it is meant that they employed in this manoeuvre all that were in the vessel, or that they compelled all on board to lend a hand, passengers as well as sailors, as is usual in great tempests.

(3) The under-girding of the ship could not prevent her from running on the quicksands, but in case that misfortune did happen, they could prevent her from falling asunder. (4) There is in the text submisso vase, and in this the Latin and Greek agree. Most of the commentators translate vase by the mainmast (le grand mât). Some understand it of the sails, and we have followed them. The word vase is by no means applicable to a mast, but it is to a sail, which, when it is inflated by the wind, appears to contain one in its concavity. What supports this interpretation is, that the great sheet shown to St. Peter in his mysterious vision is thrice mentioned as a vessel.

(5) It is not through vexation, and still less through vanity, that he reminds them of his advice, which they had rejected; it is merely to induce them to put faith in the prediction which he is about to make. It is as if he said to them: You can no longer doubt that my word is worthy of belief, since I foretold what has happened to you; believe me now then when I announce to you that you are now to be saved.

(6) He was speaking to idolaters, who had to be informed that the God to whom he belonged, and whom he served, was different from theirs; and that since his God was the only one who could save them, they should no longer acknowledge any other.

me this night, saying: Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Cæsar; and behold God hath given thee all them that sail with thee (1). Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that it shall so be, as it hath been told me. And," he added, "we must come unto a certain island." He did not mention the name of the island, apparently because the angel had not made it known to him. "But after the fourteenth night was come, as we were sailing in Adria (2), about midnight the ship-men deemed that they discovered some country. Who also sounding, found twenty fathoms; and going on a little further, they found fifteen fathoms. Then fearing lest we should fall upon rough places, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. But as the ship-men sought to fly out of the ship, having let down the boat into the sea, under color as though they would have cast anchors out of the fore part of the ship, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers: Except these stay in the ship you cannot be saved (3)." They believed him at last, and, "then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off."

"And when it began to be light, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying: This day is the fourteenth day that you expect and remain fasting (4), taking nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take

(1) He had, therefore, asked it, since the angel declares that God had granted it to him. Hence he had done more by praying than the others by their labor, as the hands of Moses raised to heaven contributed more to gain the victory than the armed hands which dealt the blows.

Those who, in their state, have no other occupation than prayer, if they pray with feryor and devotion, are more useful to their country than those who serve her with arm and head.

(2) This makes a difficulty against the descent into the island of Malta. It follows from this that it is only the Gulf of Venice which got the name of the Adriatic sea; but we learn from Strabo, a cotemporary of St. Paul, that this name had then a more enlarged signification, and that it contained besides the Gulf of Venice, the Ionian sea and the sea of Sicily, in which the island of Malta is situated.

(3) The accomplishment of the divine promise depended on the sailors remaining in the ship; not absolutely so, but because God, who had resolved to save them all, had resolved to save them by natural and human means, wherefore the experience of the sailors would be mainly useful.

(4) That is to say, that they had scarcely taken any thing, as it happens during storms, when, independent of the fright which destroys the appetite, the stomach becomes so

some nourishment for your health's sake (1); for there shall not a hair of the head of any of you perish. And when he had said these things, taking bread, he gave thanks to God in the sight of them all (2): and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then they were all of better cheer, and they also took some meat. And we were in all in the ship, two hundred three score and sixteen souls, and when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, casting the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, they knew not the land; but they discovered a certain creek that had a shore, into which they minded, if they could, to thrust in the ship. And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves to the sea, loosing withal the rudder-bands (3); and hoisting up the mainsail to the wind, they made towards shore."

This was the moment when all the predictions of the holy apostle "And when we were fallen were to be both tested and fulfilled. into a place where two seas met," the tongue of land by which they were separated being covered by the water was not seen by them, so that "they run the ship aground: and the fore-part indeed, sticking fast, remained unmovable; but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the sea. And the soldiers' counsel was that they should kill the prisoners, lest any of them, swimming out, should escape," and that they might have to answer for them with their own lives; "but the centurion, willing to save Paul, forbade it to be done; and he commanded that they who could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and save themselves and get to land. And the rest, some they carried on boards, and some on those things

disordered by the violent rocking of the vessel, that even those most accustomed to the

sea cannot eat.

(1) The apostle adds that they must eat in order to save their lives, pro salute vestra, because being exhausted with fatigue and long fasting, they would have been wholly unable to save themselves in a shipwreck like that which they were soon to encounter. God, as we have just said, would only save them by natural means; and to look for any other means would have been no better than tempting him.

(2) Christians are often deterred by a false shame from doing before other Christians that which St. Paul did before idolaters. Is it then disgraceful to believe that it is God alone who gives us our nourishment? and if we believe it, is it a weakness to testify our gratitude to him?

(3) The ancients had two rudder-bands at the stern, one on either side.

!

that belonged to the ship. And so it came to pass that every soul got safe to land." Thus the destruction of the vessel was completed, and every living soul on board saved, so that the prophecy was in both instances verified.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

ARRIVAL AT MALTA AND SOJOURN THERE.-ST. PAUL MIRACULOUSLY CURES ALL THE SICK. HE DEPARTS FROM MALTA AND ARRIVES AT ROME.-HE ASSEMBLES THE CHIEFS OF THE JEWS.-HIE ADDRESSES THEM, BUT FOR THE MOST PART WITH LITTLE SUCCESS. HE ANNOUNCES THE GOSPEL TO ALL THOSE WHO COME TO VISIT HIM.

(a)" AND when we had escaped, then we knew that the island was called Melita. But the barbarians (1) showed us no small courtesy. For, kindling a fire, they refreshed us all, because of the present rain and of the cold. And when Paul had gathered together a bundle of sticks, and had laid them on the fire, a viper (2) coming out of the heat, fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the beast hanging on his hand, they said one to another: Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, who though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance (3) doth not suffer him to live. And he, indeed,

(a) Acts, xxviii. 1.

(1) The word barbarian, in its primitive signification, simply means a stranger. The Greeks and Romans applied it to those nations who spoke a language different from theirs; these were apparently Africans who had established themselves in the island of Malta, which lies contiguous to the coast of Africa.

(2) There are still serpents in the island of Malta, but they are free from venom: children are often seen to handle them and even put them in their bosom, without receiving any injury. If it be thought that St. Paul did not land at Malta, the consequence must be that this exemption from venom is peculiar to the serpents of that island; but if St. Paul was really there, then the miracle is incontestable; for, seeing that the people expected to see him fall down dead when he was bitten by the viper, it follows that before his arrival the serpents there had been venomous.

(3) The idea of an avenging justice is common to all mankind. The impious may choose to scoff at it, but they cannot help fearing it, in the depth of their own hearts.