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Bible Dictionaries
Cauda
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament
or Cauda (Clauda in Authorized Version ; Καῦδα in B, supported by Gaudus in Pliny, Historia Naturalis (Pliny) iv. xii. 61, and Pomp. Mela, ii. 14; Κλαῦδα in א and most authorities, supported by Κλαῦδος in Ptolemy, iii. xvii. 11) was a small island 23 miles S. of Crete. From the modern forms of the name-Gavdho in Greek, Gozzo in Italian-Ramsay argues that preference should be given to the ancient form which omits the letter ‘I.’ Favoured by a soft south wind, the ship in which St. Paul was sailing for Italy had rounded Cape Lithinos (now Cape Matala), four or five miles west from Fair Havens, and was making in a W.N.W. direction across the Bay of Messara for Port Phenice (q.v. [Note: quod vide, which see.] ), which there was the prospect of reaching in a few hours, when she was suddenly struck by a ‘typhoon’ (ἄνεμος τυφωνικός), or E.N.E. Squall (see Euraquilo), sweeping down from Mount Ida, and, not being able to face the gale (ἀντοφθαλμεῖν), she had to run before it (ἐπιδόντες ἐφερόμεθα) till she was fortunate enough to get under the lee of Cauda, where the comparatively smooth water enabled the crew to bring her to and prepare her to weather the storm (Acts 27:12-17). ‘The ship must have been laid to on the starboard tack under the lee of Cauda, for it was only on this tack that it was possible to avoid being driven on the African coast’ (Smith, Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul4, London, 1880, p. 97ff.).
Literature.-W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul, London, 1895, p. 326ff.; A. Breusing, Die Nautik der Alten, Bremen, 1886, p. 169ff.; articles ‘Cauda’ in Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) and ‘Clauda’ in Encyclopaedia Biblica .
James Strahan.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Cauda'. Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdn/c/cauda.html. 1906-1918.
