Part Two, Chapters XVIII - XIX Summary

Elisha goes to the prison where his fellow rabbis are being held and finds Pappas there as well. Elisha apologizes, but Pappas is actually glad his friend has finally come back to being a Jew. Pappas says conditions in the jail are terrible, but sometimes peddlers come by and they are able to get food from them. Elisha gives him money. As one of the peddlers comes by singing their wares, Elisha realizes messages are being sent as well because some of the words are in Hebrew. Elisha recognizes Akiba's voice answering the peddler, deciding cases in Jewish Law. Elisha is amazed to find that even on their death row, the rabbis still believe the faith will survive. Akiba has predicted that the Roman Empire will someday fall, but the Jewish faith will...