Due to their lack of decisive power, Zafar instructs Cestvs and his companions to train all day every day by digging with pickaxes. Though his companions complain, Cestvs regards Zafar's word as his only ray of hope and continues digging. Meanwhile, a pair of messengers arrive to announce a fighting tournament held by the emperor. Emperor Nero himself has ordered that Cestvs participate. He seems to be unable to escape him... With indescribable uncertainty in his heart, Cestvs participates in the qualifier in order to win his freedom. However, the arena is a wooden structure resembling a run-down cage.
Even for minor branch roads, 
Romans dug deep into the earth,
حفر الرومانيّون بعمق في الأرض حتّى
للطرق الفرعيّة الصغيرة
Selbst für Seitenstraßen
hoben sie die Erde tief aus,
Incluso para los caminos secundarios,
excavaban profundamente en la tierra,
Incluso para los caminos secundarios,
excavaban profundamente en la tierra,
Même dans le cas
d’une voie quelconque,
Anche nel caso delle arterie minori,
i romani scavavano a fondo nel terreno,
Mesmo para estradas secundárias,
os romanos cavavam fundo.