Those kin and lovers of the prisoner, who Had for his name to Cæsarea come, Would not forsake him sailing thence away; They all, in one accord of fellowship, Willed to sail with him on his way to Rome. Besides these, there was Luke, a loyal soul, Well learnéd in the lore of medicine, Who loved Paul, and with joy his right hand lent, Joining thereto the service of his eyes, To fix for the apostle, at his need, In written record, his thick-coming thoughts-- Ease for those weary organs overworn With labors and with watchings; haply, too, Touched with effect from that excess of light! Historian of the voyage likewise Luke, As, guided by the heavenly-guided Paul, Who thus redeemed long prison hours else waste, Historian of the life of Christ the Lord. So many, with a man from Macedon, A faithful, Aristarchus named, made up The little company who loving hearts Linked, shield to shield, in phalanx fencing Paul. If they could serve him little on the sea, At least they could be with him there; and then, Should long delays of law, or of caprice, Hold him still bound in Rome, they would be nigh To bring him, daily, comfort of their love. So, doubting not, not fearing, all for love, These changed their fixéd gear for portable, And on that ship of Adramyttium, Facing whatever fortune unforeseen, Cheerfully sailed--to tempest and to wreck! Scarce well bestowed within that Asian bark, Riding at anchor in her rock-fenced haven, Those Christian pilgrims felt unwonted stir Rouse round them on the crowded deck, with surge On surge of movement, of expectancy, As when a rising surf beats the sea-beach; While, huddling here, here parting, all made way To let who seemed high passengers of state Enter with gorgeous pomp and pageantry, Forerun and followed by a various train. Felix it was, in sumptuous litter borne, Drusilla with him, looking still the queen: From power they fallen, were fallen not from pride. With them, besides their troop of servitors, Came other two, strange contrasts: Simon one, The conjurer, fast to their joint fortune bound, Beginning to be gray with rime of age, As sinister grown in look through habit of guile; A little lad tripped lightly by the side Of Simon (who his evil genius looked) Leading him by the hand upon the ship. This little lad was little Felix, son Of Felix and Drusilla, and dear to them, Felix Agrippa the lad's double name. Felix went summoned from his province back To give at Rome account of his misrule. Behind the sorcerer, following in that train, Went last, as one who unattached would seem, Shimei, compelled, though prisoner not; he strove To carry lightly a too heavy heart. Felix so much from Festus had obtained, That Shimei should go forward with himself