Lysias listened to his story, but bade him not to speak of the discovered plot to any one. He then determined to send St. Paul away that same night, as it was evident that his life was in peril through the malice of the people. Summoning two of his centurions, he bade them make ready two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, who were to take a journey into Cæsarea at nine o'clock that night, and horses were also to be provided for the Apostle, who must be safely placed under the care of Felix the governor of that place. Lysias knew that this enormous guard would be necessary to ensure the safety of his prisoner. When all was in readiness for departure, he had a letter written which was to be given to the governor of Cæsarea, explaining the reasons for which St. Paul was sent to him, and all who had any accusation to make against him were told to go to Felix with the complaint. {111} By the dawn of morning, the travellers had accomplished about thirty-five miles of their journey, reaching Antipatris, where the foot-soldiers were dismissed; the rest of the guard conducted the Apostle safely through another day's travel, and then they entered Cæsarea. After reading the letter sent by Lysias, Felix asked his prisoner from what province he came. St. Paul told him that he was from Cilicia, where he was born. Felix then gave orders that he should be kept in the judgment-hall of Herod until his accusers came forward, and his defence could be heard. {112} For several days the Apostle remained thus, until the high priest Ananias, and others of the Jewish council, arrived with a Roman advocate, or lawyer, ready to assist them in making their complaint against him to the Cæsarean governor. Felix had once been a slave, who by the favour of the Roman emperor had been raised to his high position; but he was an unjust and a tyrannical man, who lived in great sin. It was before him then that St. Paul had to appear, and Tertullus, the lawyer, commenced his speech by praising Felix, as if he had been a good man, and laying his accusations against the prisoner. First, he was charged with being a "pestilent man, raising seditions among all the Jews throughout the world, and author of the sedition of the sect of the Nazarenes." On these grounds St. Paul was deemed an offender against the Roman government, and against the law of Moses. {113} The next charge was that he had brought Gentiles into the temple. The assembled Jews confirmed the truth of what Tertullus uttered, and then Felix gave the prisoner permission to defend himself. He therefore declared that he was not guilty of disputing with any man, nor had he caused disturbance either in the temple or synagogue; that he had gone up to the temple to engage in a Jewish ceremony, and those who had been in his company were not Gentiles. {114}