A ship from Alexandria by the name of “Castor and Pollux,” which had wintered in the isle, was to sail with the returning spring for Rome. The shipwrecked prisoners, with their guard, were taken on board, and the sails were spread. They touched at Syracuse, the capital of the Island of Sicily, which was on their direct route. Here they remained three days; and then, weighing anchor, they directed their course towards the Straits of Messina, and landed at Rhegium, on the southern extremity of Italy. Thence, running along the western coast of the Italian peninsula, they came to Puteoli, about seven miles south-west of the present city of Naples. Puteoli was then the principal seaport in Southern Italy. Here they found Christian brethren; but it is not known by whom the gospel was brought to their region. Paul was permitted to tarry with them seven days. Thus there was opportunity for the tidings to reach Rome (which was but fifty-six miles distant) of the approach of the renowned apostle. The Christians in Rome were doubtless pretty well acquainted with Paul’s career. His Epistle to the Romans had been written about five years before this. Leaving the ship at Puteoli, they commenced their journey by land to Rome. When they had advanced about ten miles on their way, they came to a place called Appii Forum. Here, and at another place a few miles farther on called the Three Taverns, they found brethren from Rome who had come to meet them. The cordiality with which the Christians greeted the venerable prisoner so cheered him, that “he thanked God, and took courage.” Upon Paul’s arrival in Rome, he was surrendered to the custody of the captain of the pretorian cohort. His name, according to Tacitus, was Burrhus Afranius. This officer kindly allowed Paul his liberty, save only that he was always chained to a soldier, who accompanied him wherever he went. After Paul had been in Rome three days, he invited his brethren (the Jews) to meet him, and thus addressed them:―― “Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans; who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. But, when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Cæsar; not that I had aught to accuse my nation of. For this cause, therefore, have I called for you; because that for the hope of Israel[166] I am bound with this chain.” The Jews replied, “We neither received letters out of Judæa concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came showed or spake any harm of thee. But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest; for as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”