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into the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes of the rudders; and hoisting the foresail, they made for the shore before the wind. But falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the bow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was broken by the violence of the waves. 3. Again the devil attempts to hinder the prophecy; and they planned to kill some, but the centurion did not allow it, in order to save Paul; so attached 60.370 was he already to him. And the soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest, some on planks, and some on things from the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land. And having been saved, they then learned that the island was called Melita. Do you see how much good came from the storm? The storm was not, then, a sign of abandonment. And how, he says, did they bear it, being without food and having taken nothing? Fear possessed them and did not allow them to fall into a desire for food, as they were about to be in peril for their very lives. So what happened, happened because of the weather; but the miracle is greater, that in such a time they were saved from the midst of dangers, both he himself and the rest on his account. And hoisting the foresail, they made for the shore before the wind. He said this, wishing to show the violence they were enduring while being storm-tossed; for often they do not do so. Therefore they also lowered the sail, that is, the sails (for when the wind is violent, this is done), checking the force of the wind. And they suffer these things in the Adriatic, where it is difficult to be saved. And we were in all in the ship two hundred and seventy-six souls. And how is it clear that so many were sailing with them? It was likely for them to ask the reason for which they were sailing, and to learn everything. But they took nothing, because they had no care for food, since the danger was not about ordinary matters. And see how not simply nor was the dragging of the ship for Paul, nor was the voyage untimely, but he makes it a time for teaching. And this is no small thing, if indeed all these believed. But let us look from the beginning at what has been said. And when much time had been spent, and the voyage was now dangerous, Paul advised them, saying, "Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss." See his lack of pride; that he might not seem to be prophesying, but to be speaking from conjecture, he says, "I perceive"; for they would not have accepted it, if he had said this straight away. Before, at least, he prophesies, and says, "The God, whom I serve," leading them on. How then did it not happen with loss of life? It would have happened, if God had not saved them. For as far as the nature of the matter was concerned, they would have perished; but God prevented it. But the centurion, it says, was more persuaded by the pilot than by what was said by Paul. So that it might be shown that he did not say these things from conjecture, the pilot says the opposite, and this though he was experienced; thus what was said was not from conjecture. And the harbor, it says, being unsuitable. See, the place also teaches that it was not from conjecture, being unsuitable; rather, the majority of them seem to speak from conjecture, who also plan to set sail from there; but nothing more comes of it for them; for they fall into a surge, and they make a jettison of what they were carrying. Therefore, making this clear, he added, "And as we were exceedingly storm-tossed, with our own hands we threw the ship's tackle overboard." So that they might not have occasion to disobey afterwards, these things are permitted. And a harsh storm arises, and there is great darkness. Then, so that they might not perish, both the wheat is thrown out and everything; 60.371 for this is, "We threw the ship's tackle overboard." And when there was much abstinence from food, Paul said, "You should have listened to me and have avoided this loss." Did you see how the storm and the darkness contributed no small amount to their listening? And see how the centurion is persuaded, so as to even let the boat go and

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εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, ἅμα ἀνέντες τὰς ζευκτηρίας τῶν πηδαλίων· καὶ ἐπάραντες τὸν ἀρτέμονα, τῇ πνεούσῃ κατεῖχον εἰς τὸν αἰγιαλόν. Περιπεσόντες δὲ εἰς τόπον διθάλασσον, ἐπώκειλαν τὴν ναῦν· καὶ ἡ μὲν πρῶρα ἐρείσασα, ἔμεινεν ἀσάλευτος, ἡ δὲ πρύμνα ἐλύετο ὑπὸ τῆς βίας τῶν κυμάτων. γʹ. Πάλιν πειρᾶται ὁ διάβολος ἐμποδίσαι τῇ προφητείᾳ· καὶ ἐβουλεύοντό τινας ἀνελεῖν, ἀλλ' οὐκ εἴασεν ὁ ἑκατόνταρχος, ἵνα τὸν Παῦλον σώσῃ· οὕτως ἤδη ᾠκειωμέ 60.370 νος ἦν αὐτῷ. Τῶν δὲ στρατιωτῶν βουλὴ ἐγένετο, ἵνα τοὺς δεσμώτας ἀποκτείνωσι, μή τις ἐκκολυμβήσας διαφύγῃ. Ὁ δὲ ἑκατόνταρχος βουλόμενος διασῶσαι τὸν Παῦλον, ἐκώλυσεν αὐτοὺς τοῦ βουλήματος, ἐκέλευσέ τε τοὺς δυναμένους κολυμβᾷν ἀποῤῥίψαντας πρώτους ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἐξιέναι, καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς οὓς μὲν ἐπὶ σανίσιν, οὓς δὲ ἐπί τινων τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ πλοίου. Καὶ οὕτως ἐγένετο πάντας διασωθῆναι ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν. Καὶ διασωθέντες, τότε ἐπέγνωσαν, ὅτι Μελίτη ἡ νῆσος καλεῖται. Ὁρᾷς ὅσον γέγονεν ἀγαθὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ χειμῶνος; Οὐκ ἄρα ἐγκαταλείψεως ἦν ὁ χειμών. Καὶ πῶς, φησὶν, ἔφερον ἄσιτοι ὄντες καὶ μηδενὸς μεταλαβόμενοι; Ὁ φόβος κατεῖχεν αὐτοὺς καὶ οὐκ εἴα εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν τροφῆς ἐμπεσεῖν, μέλλοντας ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐσχάτων κινδυνεύειν. Τὸ μὲν οὖν γενόμενον ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ ἐγένετο· τὸ δὲ θαῦμα μεῖζον, ὅτι ἐν καιρῷ τοιούτῳ ἐκ μέσων ἐσώθησαν τῶν κινδύνων, αὐτός τε καὶ δι' αὐτὸν οἱ λοιποί. Καὶ ἐπάραντες τὸν ἀρτέμονα, τῇ πνεούσῃ κατεῖχον εἰς τὸν αἰγιαλόν. Τοῦτο εἶπε, τὴν βίαν δεῖξαι βουλόμενος, ἢν ὑπέμενον χειμαζόμενοι· πολλάκις γὰρ οὐχ οὕτω ποιοῦσι. ∆ιὸ καὶ κατήγαγον τὴν ὀθόνην, τουτέστι τὰ ἱστία (ὅταν γὰρ σφοδρὸς ἄνεμος ᾖ, τοῦτο γίνεται), ἐγκόπτοντες τοῦ πνεύματος τὴν ῥύμην. Ταῦτα δὲ πάσχουσιν ἐν τῷ Ἀδρίᾳ, ἔνθα τὸ σώζεσθαι χαλεπόν. Ἦμεν δὲ ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ αἱ πᾶσαι ψυχαὶ διακόσιαι ἑβδομηκονταέξ. Καὶ πόθεν δῆλον, ὅτι τοσοῦτοι ἦσαν οἱ συμπλέοντες; Εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτοὺς ἐρωτᾷν τὴν αἰτίαν, δι' ἣν πλέουσι, καὶ μαθεῖν πάντα. Οἱ δὲ οὐδενὸς μετέλαβον, ὅτι οὐκ ἦν αὐτοῖς φροντὶς τροφῆς, ἅτε οὐ περὶ τῶν τυχόντων ὄντος τοῦ κινδύνου. Καὶ ὅρα πῶς οὐχ ἁπλῶς οὐδὲ ἡ παρολκὴ τοῦ πλοὸς γέγονε τῷ Παύλῳ, οὐδὲ ἄκαιρος ὁ πλοῦς, ἀλλὰ ποιεῖται αὐτὸν διδασκαλίας καιρόν. Οὐ μικρὸν δὲ τοῦτο, εἴ γε πάντες οὗτοι ἐπίστευσαν. Ἀλλ' ἴδωμεν ἄνωθεν τὰ εἰρημένα. Ἱκανοῦ δὲ χρόνου διαγενομένου, καὶ ὄντος ἤδη ἐπισφαλοῦς τοῦ πλοὸς, παρῄνει ὁ Παῦλος λέγων αὐτοῖς· Ἄνδρες, θεωρῶ, ὅτι μετὰ ὕβρεως καὶ ζημίας μέλλειν ἔσεσθαι τὸν πλοῦν. Ὅρα τὸ ἄτυφον· ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ προφητεύειν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀπὸ στοχασμοῦ λέγειν, Θεωρῶ, φησίν· οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐδέξαντο, εὐθέως εἰ τοῦτο εἶπε. Πρότερον γοῦν προφητεύει, καὶ λέγει· Ὁ Θεὸς, ᾧ λατρεύω, ἐνάγων αὐτούς. Πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἐγένετο μετὰ ζημίας ψυχῶν; Ἐγένετο ἂν, εἰ μὴ ὁ Θεὸς διέσωσεν. Ὅσον γὰρ κατὰ τὴν φύσιν τοῦ πράγματος, ἀπώλοντο ἄν· ἀλλ' ὁ Θεὸς ἐκώλυσεν. Ὁ δὲ ἑκατοντάρχης, φησὶ, τῷ κυβερνήτῃ μᾶλλον ἐπείθετο ἢ τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ Παύλου λεγομένοις. Ἵνα δειχθῇ, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπὸ στοχασμοῦ ταῦτα ἔλεγεν, ὁ κυβερνήτης τὰ ἐναντία λέγει, καὶ ταῦτα ἔμπειρος ὤν· οὕτως οὐκ ἀπὸ στοχασμοῦ ἦν τὰ λεγόμενα. Ἀνευθέτου δὲ τοῦ λιμένος, φησὶν, ὑπάρχοντος. Ὅρα καὶ ὁ τόπος διδάσκει μὴ ἀπὸ στοχασμοῦ εἶναι, ἀνεύθετος ὤν· μᾶλλον δὲ ἀπὸ στοχασμοῦ φαίνονται λέγοντες ἐκείνων οἱ πλείους, οἳ καὶ βουλεύονται ἀναχθῆναι ἐκεῖθεν· ἀλλ' οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς πλέον ἐκ τούτου γίνεται· περιπίπτουσι γὰρ κλύδωνι, καὶ ἐκβολὴν ὧν ἐπεφέροντο ποιοῦνται. ∆ιὸ καὶ τοῦτο δηλῶν, ἐπήγαγε· Σφοδρῶς δὲ χειμαζομένων ἡμῶν, αὐτόχειρες τὴν σκευὴν τοῦ πλοίου ἐῤῥίψαμεν. Ἵνα μὴ ἔχωσι μετὰ ταῦτα ἀπειθεῖν, ταῦτα συγχωρεῖται. Καὶ χαλεπὸς χειμὼν ἐγείρεται, καὶ πολὺ τὸ σκότος γίνεται. Εἶτα ἵνα μὴ ἀπόλωνται, καὶ ὁ σῖτος ῥίπτεται καὶ πάντα· 60.371 τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι, Τὴν σκευὴν τοῦ πλοίου ἐῤῥίψαμεν. Πολλῆς δὲ ἀσιτίας ὑπαρχούσης, εἶπεν ὁ Παῦλος· Ἔδει πειθαρχήσαντάς μοι κερδῆσαι τὴν ζημίαν. Εἶδες, πῶς οὐ μικρὰ πρὸς τὴν ἀκρόασιν συνεβάλετο καὶ ὁ χειμὼν καὶ τὸ σκότος; Καὶ ὅρα πῶς πείθεται ὁ ἑκατόνταρχος, ὥστε καὶ τὴν σκάφην ἀφεῖναι καὶ