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.
Traveling south along the Italian peninsula 
merely put him in the emperor's backyard.
السفر جنوب شبه الجزيرة الإيطاليّة أشبه
بسرحه في فناء الإمبراطور
Sich im Süden der italienischen
Halbinsel aufzuhalten,
Al ir al sur de la península itálica,
solo se adentró en su patio trasero.
Al ir al sur de la península itálica,
solo se adentró en su patio trasero.
qu’atteindre le Sud de la péninsule
fut un jeu d’enfant, pour l’empereur.
E l'Italia del sud era totalmente sotto il suo controllo.
 Viaggiare lì era come stare sotto il suo sguardo.
Viajar ao sul pela península itálica apenas
o colocaria no quintal do imperador.
Бегство на юг полуострова лишь
 на время спасло от внимания императора.