{May I say something unto thee?} (Ei exestin moi eipein ti
pros se?). On this use of ei in a direct question see on
气:6|. The calm self-control of Paul in the presence of this mob
is amazing. His courteous request to Lysias was in Greek to the
chiliarch's amazement. {Dost thou know Greek?} (Hell(886e)isti
gin(9373)keis?). Old Greek adverb in -i from Hell(886e)iz(935c), meaning
"in Greek." "Do you know it in Greek?" In the N.T. only here and
 Joh 19:20 . {Art thou not then the Egyptian?} (Ouk ara su ei ho
Aiguptios?). Expects the answer _Yes_ and ara argues the
matter (therefore). The well-known (ho) Egyptian who had given
the Romans so much trouble. {Stirred up to sedition}
(anastat(9373)as). First aorist active participle of anastato(935c), a
late verb from anastatos, outcast, and so to unsettle, to stir
up, to excite, once known only in LXX and  Ac 17:6  (which see);
 21:38  Ga 5:12 , but now found in several papyri examples with
precisely this sense to upset. {Of the Assassins} (	(936e)
sikari(936e)). Latin word _sicarius_, one who carried a short sword
sica under his cloak, a cutthroat. Josephus uses this very word
for bands of robbers under this Egyptian (_War_ II. 17,6 and
13,5; _Ant_. XX. 8,10). Josephus says that there were 30,000 who
gathered on the Mount of Olives to see the walls of Jerusalem
fall down and not merely 4,000 as Lysias does here. But Lysias
may refer to the group that were armed thus (banditti) the core
of the mob of 30,000. Lysias at once saw by Paul's knowledge of
Greek that he was not the famous Egyptian who led the Assassins
and escaped himself when Felix attacked and slew the most of
them.