And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose - for with such a wind they had every prospect of reaching their destined winter quarters in a few hours,
Loosing thence, they sailed close by (or 'coasted close along') Crete. [The adverb, asson (G788), is printed in the Vulgate, and from it in the Received Text, as the name of a Cretan city ( Assos (G789 )); and Erasmus and Luther so take it. But it is plainly the comparative of angchi-`nearer;' meaning that they 'hugged the shore.']