principal men of the city." [139:2] Paul, still in bonds, made his
appearance before this courtly throng; and though it might have been
expected that a two years' confinement would have broken the spirit of
the prisoner, he displayed powers of argument and eloquence which
astonished and confounded his judges. The Procurator was quite
bewildered by his reasoning, for he appealed to "the promise made unto
the fathers," [139:3] and to things which "Moses and the prophets did
say should come;" [140:1] and as Festus could not appreciate the lofty
enthusiasm of the Christian orator (for he had never, when at Rome, been
accustomed to hear the advocates of heathenism plead so earnestly in its
defence), he "said with a loud voice--Paul, thou art beside thyself;
much learning doth make thee mad." [140:2] But the apostle's
self-possession was in nowise shaken by this blunt charge. "I am not
mad, most noble Festus," he replied, "but speak forth the words of truth
and soberness;" and then, turning to the royal stranger, vigorously
pressed home his argument. "King Agrippa," he exclaimed, "believest thou
the prophets? I know that thou believest." [140:3] The King, thus
challenged, was a libertine; and at this very time was believed to be
living in incestuous intercourse with his sister Bernice; and yet he
seems to have been staggered by Paul's solemn and pointed interrogatory.
"Almost," said he, "thou persuadest me to be a Christian." [140:4] It
has been thought by some that these words were uttered with a sneer; but
whatever may have been the frivolity of the Jewish King, they elicited
from the apostle one of the noblest rejoinders that ever issued from
human lips, "And Paul said, I would to God that not only thou, but also
all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am,
except these bonds." [140:5]

The singularly able defence now made by the apostle convinced his judges
of the futility of the charges preferred against him by the Sanhedrim.
But at this stage of the proceedings it was no longer practicable to
quash the prosecution. When Paul concluded his address "the king rose
up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them. And when
they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying--This man
doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Then said Agrippa unto
Festus--This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed
unto Caesar." [141:1]

At first sight it may appear e