sided over discourse, that they might not carry home any uncleanness, which might prevent the communication of the blessings expected from the sacrifice. No. 1316.-xiv. 13. Brought oxen and garlands unto the gates.] Garlands or crowns were used in sacrifices for different purposes. Sometimes they crowned the gods to whom they sacrificed, (Tertul, de Corona, c. 10.) Sometimes the priests wore them. (Paschalius de Coronis, l. iv. c. 13.) The altars also on which they offered sacrifices were crowned with these garlands, as well as the sacrifices themselves. (Ovid. de Tristibus, 1. iii. el. 13.) They were for the most part made of cypress; sometimes of the pine-tree; and of other leaves and flowers, such as were peculiar to the gods. Something similar to these practices obtained amongst the Jews at the offering of their first-fruits. No. 1317.-xvi. 16. A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination.] Virgil has described an inflated prophetess of this kind: -Ait, Deus, ecce Deus, cui talia fanti The virgin cries, the God, behold the God, En. vi. 46. Archbishop Potter says, that there were few that pretended to inspiration but raged after this manner, foam ing and yelling and making a strange terrible noise; sometimes gnashing their teeth, shivering and trembling, with a thousand antic motions. Antiq. b. ii. c. 12. No. 1318.-xvii. 17. Therefore disputed he in the market daily with them that met him.] This is perfectly agreeable to the customs of the East. In Arabia it is frequently practised. People usually meet in such places for conversation. HARMER, vol. ii. p. 526. No. 1319.-xvii. 22. Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars-hill.] The court of the Areopagites, before which St. Paul was now brought, was so named from the place in which it was held, being on an hill not far from the city, called Areopagus. This court was of high antiquity; it was instituted before the time of Solon, but when is uncertain. It is also equally unknown of what number this assembly was composed. It is however certain, that it was the most sacred and venerable tribunal in Greece. They were very particular in examining the characters of such persons as were admitted members of it. Any evidence of intemperance excluded from the office; and though the dignity was usually held for life, yet if any of the senators were convicted of immorality, they were expelled. utmost gravity was preserved in this assembly, and to laugh in their presence was an unpardonable act of levity. Demosthenes tells us, that so impartial were they in their proceedings, that to his time there never had been so much as one of their determinations of which there had been any just reason to complain. Foreign states frequently referred to their decision. They had three meetings every month; and always sat in the open air, a custom practised in all the courts of justice that had cognizance of murder. They heard The and determined all causes in the night, and in the dark, that they might not be biassed by the sight of either plaintiff or defendant. No. 1320.-xix. 12. Handkerchiefs.] "It is the custom almost every where to carry a staff in their hand; the mode of wrought handkerchiefs is also general in Arabia, in Syria, in Palestine, and in all the Turkish empire. They are wrought with a needle, and it is the amusement of the fair sex there, as among us, the making of tapestry and lace. The young women make them for their fathers, their brothers, and, by way of preparation beforehand, for their spouses; bestowing them as favours on their lovers. They have them almost constantly in their hands in those warm countries, to wipe off sweat." Chardin. HARMER, vol. ii. p. 395. Among the No. 1321.-xix. 29. The theatre.] Greeks the theatres served not only for the exhibition of public shows and games, but often for holding public assemblies on affairs of the greatest consequence. Josephus says, (de Bell. lib. ii. cap. 18. § 7.) "when the Alexandrians were assembled concerning the embassy which they were sending to Nero, many of the Jews crowded into the amphitheatre with the Greeks:" and again (cap. v. § 2.) we find the Antiochians holding an assembly upon public business in their theatre. No. 1322.-xxi. 33. And commanded him to be bound with two chains.] Prisoners amongst the Romans were fettered and confined in a singular manner. One end of a chain, which was of a commodious length, was fixed about the right arm of the prisoner, and the other about the left arm of a soldier. Thus a soldier was coupled to the prisoner, and every where attended him. To this Manilius alludes: Vinctorum dominus, sociusque in parte catenæ, Lib. y. In this manner was St. Paul confined when he made his incomparable apology before Festus. Sometimes the prisoner was fastened to two soldiers, one on each side. See Acts xii. 6. No. 1323.-xxii. 3. Brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel.] With respect to the schools among the Jews it should be observed, that, besides the common schools in which children were taught to read the law, they had also academies, in which their doctors gave comments on the law, and taught the traditions to their pupils. Of this sort were the two famous schools of Hillel and Sammai, and the school of Gamaliel, who was St. Paul's tutor. In these seminaries the tutor's chair is said to have been so much raised above the level of the floor, on which the pupils sat, that bis feet were even with their heads. Hence St. Paul says, that he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel. No. 1324.-xxii. 25. And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?] "Roman citizens were secured against the tyrannical treatment of the magistrates, first by the right of appealing from them to the people, and that the person who appealed should in no manner be punished till the people determined the matter; but chiefly by the assistance of their tribunes. None but the whole Roman people in the Comitia Centuriata could pass sentence on the life of a Roman citizen. No magistrate was allowed to punish him by stripes, or capitally. The single expression, I am a Roman citizen, checked their severest decrees. Cic. in Ver. v. 54 and 57." ADAM'S Roman Antiq. p. 45. No. 1325.-xxiii. 2. And the high-priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.] A similar modern instance of the brutality with which criminals are treated in the East occurs in Hanway's Travels, vol. i. p. 299. when Sadoc Aga, one of the chiefs of the Persian rebels at Astrabad in the year 1744, was brought before Nadir Shah's general, and examined by him, he answered the questions put to him, but lamented his miserable change of circumstances in very pathetic terms; upon which the general ordered him to be struck across the mouth, to silence him; which was done with such violence that the blood issued forth. No. 1326-xxiii. 12. Saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.] It was a common form of a vow or oath with the Jews, that I will not eat. Sometimes they only vowed abstinence from particular things; and then, others were lawful. GILL, in loc. No. 1327.-xxvii. 27. The shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country.] Literally, that some land approached them. No doubt this was an usual sea phrase for drawing near to land. So Virgil: Provehimur portû, terræque urbesque recedunt. En. iii. 72. We leave the port; the lands and towns recede. Thus also Ovid: Admotumque fretum remis, tellusque repulsa est. The oars now dash the sea, the shore's repell'd. |