the persons under Julius'
charge was a Jew named Paul, who was accompanied by three of his friends,
Timothy, Luke and Aristarchus of Thessalonica, and all four, thanks to the
kindness of the centurion, who was evidently much attached to his
exemplary captive, were permitted to remain at this spot for seven days.
Paul himself was anxious to tarry at this spot, for of all the Italian
ports Puteoli was most frequented by men of his own nation, so that the
city possessed its little community of Christians, who naturally were
eager to detain the Apostle. So hopelessly intermingled are truth,
tradition and legend concerning the various places on Italian soil that St
Paul is known to have visited, that we cannot be too grateful for the
undoubted link with his journey to Rome that we possess in the existing
Mole of Puteoli, whose surface has undoubtedly been trodden by the
sandalled feet of the great Apostle of the West. Here Paul landed amid the
haughty scenes of Roman pride and power; above him he saw the pagan Temple
of Augustus, all gleaming with marble and gilded bronze that were mirrored
in the calm waters of the port: along this famous causeway he passed,
unmarked by the busy crowd, except perhaps to be mocked by some idler for
his nationality or his halting speech. Guided by Christian compatriots,
the Apostle with his three faithful friends was led through the noisy
jostling concourse of all countries that thronged the great Roman city to
the humble dwelling of his host. Where he lodged in that mighty city we
know not, but we do know for a certain fact that he landed on the Mole,
and that he passed along it to the shore; it is not much, perhaps, but
that little is very precious.

What a contrast do these two incidents connected with the Mole of Puteoli
afford! The Roman Emperor, glittering like the morning star in purple
mantle and jewelled cuirass, riding on his charger across the solid road
that to humour his own caprice had been flung across the buoyant waters,
accompanied by soldiery, by music, and by bands of wealthy sycophants; and
the Apostle, poor, in bonds, a despised prisoner in an alien land, meekly
threading his way through the crowds towards his mean lodging. Where is
the proud Temple of Augustus that beheld these two strange scenes, that
occurred with no great interval of time apart? Where are the villas and
quays that lined the Bay of Baiae? The very ruins of the palaces and
warehouses are swept away; the