{Casting off} (perielontes). Second aorist active of
periaire(935c). Literally, "Having taken away from around," that is
all four anchors from around the stern. Cf. the other verbs with
agkuras in verse  29,30 . {They left them in the sea} (ei(936e)
eis t(886e) thalassan). Imperfect active of ea(935c), either
descriptive or inchoative. They let the anchors go and the ropes
fell down into the sea. {At the same time loosing the bands of
the rudders} (hama anentes tas zeukt(8872)ias t(936e) p(8864)ali(936e)). On the
use of hama with the participle, old Greek idiom see Robertson,
_Grammar_, p. 1139. The second aorist active participle of
ani(886d)i, to relax, loosen up. Old verb, in N.T.  Ac 16:26  27:40  Eph 6:9  Heb 13:5 . Thayer notes that zeukt(8872)ias (bands)
occurs nowhere else, but several papyri use it of yokes and
waterwheels (Moulton and Milligan's _Vocabulary_). The word for
rudders (p(8864)alion) is an old one (from p(8864)on, the blade of an
oar), but in the N.T. only here and  Jas 3:4 . Page notes that
the ancient ships had a pair of paddle rudders like those of the
early northmen, one on each quarter. The paddle rudders had been
fastened while the ship was anchored. {Hoisting up the foresail
to the wind} (eparantes ton artem(936e)a t(8869) pneous(8869)). Supply
aur(8369) (breeze) after pneous(8869) (blowing). It is not clear what
"sail" is meant by "artem(936e)a." No other example in Greek is
known, though the scholiast to Juvenal XII. 68 explains velo
prora suo by _artemone solo_. Hence "foresail" is probably
correct. {They made for the beach} (kateichon eis ton
aigialon). Imperfect active of katech(935c), to hold down, perhaps
inchoative. "They began to hold the ship steadily for the beach."