The principal rooms anciently in Judea were those above, as
they are to this day at Aleppo; the ground floor being chiefly made use
of for their horses and servants. “The house in which I am at present
living,” says, Jowett, “gives what seems to be a correct idea of the
scene of Eutychus’ falling from the upper loft while St. Paul was
preaching, Acts xx, 6–12. According to our idea of houses, the scene is
very far from intelligible; and, beside this, the circumstance of
preaching generally leaves on the mind of cursory readers the notion of
a church. To describe this house, which is not many miles distant from
the Troad, and perhaps, from the unchanging character of oriental
customs, nearly resembles the houses then built, will fully illustrate
the narrative. On entering my host’s door, we find the first floor
entirely used as a store: it is filled with large barrels of oil, the
produce of the rich country for many miles round: this space, so far
from being habitable, is sometimes so dirty with the dripping of the
oil, that it is difficult to pick out a clean footing from the door to
the first step of the staircase. On ascending, we find the first floor,
consisting of an humble suit of rooms, not very high; these are occupied
by the family for their daily use. It is on the next story that all
their expense is lavished: here my courteous host has appointed my
lodging: beautiful curtains and mats, and cushions to the divan, display
the respect with which they mean to receive their guest. Here, likewise,
their splendour, being at the top of the house, is enjoyed by the poor
Greeks with more retirement, and less chance of molestation from the
intrusion of Turks: here, when the professors of the college waited upon
me to pay their respects, they were received in ceremony, and sat at the
window. The room is both higher and also larger than those below; it has
two projecting windows; and the whole floor is so much extended in front
beyond the lower part of the building, that the projecting windows
considerably overhang the street. In such an upper room, secluded,
spacious, and commodious, St. Paul was invited to preach his parting
discourse. The divan, or raised seat, with mats or cushions, encircles
the interior of each projecting window; and I have remarked that when
the company is numerous, they sometimes place large cushions behind the
company seated on the divan; so that a second tier of company, with
their feet upon the seat of the divan, are sitting behind, higher than
the front row. Eutychus, thus sitting, would be on a level with the open
window; and, being overcome with sleep, he would easily fall out from
the third loft of the house into the street, and be almost certain, from
such a height, to lose his life. Thither St. Paul went down, and
comforted the alarmed company by bringing up Eutychus alive. It is noted
that ‘there were many lights in the upper chamber.’ The very great
plenty of oil in this neighbourhood would enable them to afford many
lamps; the heat of these and so much company would cause the drowsiness
of Eutychus, at that late hour, and be the occasion, likewise, of the
windows being open.”
they are to this day at Aleppo; the ground floor being chiefly made use
of for their horses and servants. “The house in which I am at present
living,” says, Jowett, “gives what seems to be a correct idea of the
scene of Eutychus’ falling from the upper loft while St. Paul was
preaching, Acts xx, 6–12. According to our idea of houses, the scene is
very far from intelligible; and, beside this, the circumstance of
preaching generally leaves on the mind of cursory readers the notion of
a church. To describe this house, which is not many miles distant from
the Troad, and perhaps, from the unchanging character of oriental
customs, nearly resembles the houses then built, will fully illustrate
the narrative. On entering my host’s door, we find the first floor
entirely used as a store: it is filled with large barrels of oil, the
produce of the rich country for many miles round: this space, so far
from being habitable, is sometimes so dirty with the dripping of the
oil, that it is difficult to pick out a clean footing from the door to
the first step of the staircase. On ascending, we find the first floor,
consisting of an humble suit of rooms, not very high; these are occupied
by the family for their daily use. It is on the next story that all
their expense is lavished: here my courteous host has appointed my
lodging: beautiful curtains and mats, and cushions to the divan, display
the respect with which they mean to receive their guest. Here, likewise,
their splendour, being at the top of the house, is enjoyed by the poor
Greeks with more retirement, and less chance of molestation from the
intrusion of Turks: here, when the professors of the college waited upon
me to pay their respects, they were received in ceremony, and sat at the
window. The room is both higher and also larger than those below; it has
two projecting windows; and the whole floor is so much extended in front
beyond the lower part of the building, that the projecting windows
considerably overhang the street. In such an upper room, secluded,
spacious, and commodious, St. Paul was invited to preach his parting
discourse. The divan, or raised seat, with mats or cushions, encircles
the interior of each projecting window; and I have remarked that when
the company is numerous, they sometimes place large cushions behind the
company seated on the divan; so that a second tier of company, with
their feet upon the seat of the divan, are sitting behind, higher than
the front row. Eutychus, thus sitting, would be on a level with the open
window; and, being overcome with sleep, he would easily fall out from
the third loft of the house into the street, and be almost certain, from
such a height, to lose his life. Thither St. Paul went down, and
comforted the alarmed company by bringing up Eutychus alive. It is noted
that ‘there were many lights in the upper chamber.’ The very great
plenty of oil in this neighbourhood would enable them to afford many
lamps; the heat of these and so much company would cause the drowsiness
of Eutychus, at that late hour, and be the occasion, likewise, of the
windows being open.”