Permitted, Paul, upon the castle stairs Standing, stretched forth his hand in manacles Unto the tumult surging at his feet, And, a great silence fallen upon those waves, Spoke in the Hebrew tongue to them and said: "Brethren and fathers, my defence hear ye." (The silence deepened at the Hebrew words.) "A Jew am I, who, though in Tarsus born, Was in this city bred and at the feet Of that Gamaliel taught the ancestral law With every scruple of severity, Burning in zeal for God, as now do ye. And I this Way hunted unto the death, Sparing from chains and from imprisonment Nor man nor woman. This will the high priest Witness, and all the Jewish eldership. By these commissioned, to Damascus I Journeyed, that, thence even, I might hither bring For punishment disciples of the Way. And lo, as, journeying, nigh Damascus now I drew, at noonday round about me shone Suddenly a great light from heaven. To earth Prostrate I fell, and heard a voice that said, 'Saul, Saul, why art thou persecuting me?' 'Thou, thou--who art thou, Lord?' I said. And He: 'Jesus I am, Jesus of Nazareth, Whom thou art persecuting.' Those with me Beheld indeed the light, but to the voice That spake to me were deaf. And I then said, 'What wilt thou, Lord, that I should do?' 'Arise,' Said He, 'and on into Damascus go; What thou must do shall there to thee be told.' Blind-smitten with the glory of the light, Into Damascus guided by the hand I came. "There, Ananias, a devout Observer of the law, of good renown With all the Hebrew Damascenes, found me. I felt him, though I saw him not, as he Paused standing there before me, and these words Spake: 'Brother Saul, receive thy sight.' And I, That selfsame hour my sight receiving, fixed My eyes on Ananias, when he said: 'The God of our forefathers hath of thee Made choice His will to know and to behold The Righteous One and from His mouth a voice To hear. For, witness shalt thou be for Him To all men of the things thou hast beheld And heard. And now why lingerest thou? Arise And be baptized and wash away thy sins, Calling upon His name.' "Thereafter I, Unto Jerusalem returned, and here Within the temple praying, into trance Passed, and beheld Him, as to me He said: 'Haste, from Jerusalem to go make speed, For witness will they not from thee receive Concerning Me.' 'But, Lord,' said I, 'they know Themselves how I, of all men I, imprisoned And scourged from synagogue to synagogue Them that on Thee believed. And when was shed Thy martyr Stephen's blood, I, also I, Stood near, consenting, and their garments kept Who slew him.' But the Lord to me replied: 'Depart, for I will send thee forth far hence In mission to the Gentiles--"