Would you believe it?  Every one keeps fighting shy of the
      office ever since your Philopolemus, its duly elected
      occupant, was captured.

Hegio

Non pol mirandum est fugitare hanc provinciam, multis et multigeneribus opus est tibi militibus:  primumdum opus est Pistorensibus:  160 eorum sunt aliquot genera Pistorensium:  opus Paniceis est, opus Placentinis quoque; opus Turdetanis, opust Ficedulensibus; iam maritumi omnes milites opus sunt tibi.

Bless my soul! no wonder they fight shy of it.  You need many recruits, of many sorts, too:  why, in the first place you need Pad-u-ans;[B] and there are several kinds of Paduans:  you need the support of Bologna, and you need Frankfurters too; you need Leghorners and you need Pis-ans, and furthermore you need every fighter in fin land.

[Footnote B:  Here, as in the lines 880-883, the translator craves pardon for distorting the ages and spoiling the climes in his efforts to secure something of the effect of the original puns.]

Erg

  Ut saepe summa ingenia in occulto latent;
  hic qualis imperator nunc privatus est.

      (appreciatively) How often it does happen that the
      greatest talents are shrouded in obscurity!  This man now—­
      what a generalissimo, and here he is only a private citizen!

Hegio

Habe modo bonum animum, nam illum confido domum in his diebus me reconciliassere. nam eccum hic captivom adulescentem intus Aleum, prognatum genere summo et summis ditiis:  170 hoc illum me mutare confido pote.

Well, well, now, take heart.  As a matter of fact, I trust we shall have the boy back with us in a few days.  For, look you (pointing to house) I have a young Elean prisoner inside here—­splendid family, quantities of money:  I count on being able to exchange him for my son.

Erg

  Ita di deaeque faxint. sed num quo foras
  vocatus es ad cenam?

      (heartily) The gods and goddesses be with you!  I say,
      though,—­you haven’t been invited out to dinner anywhere?

Hegio

  Nusquam quod sciam
  sed quid tu id quaeris?

      (cautiously) Nowhere, to my knowledge.  But why do you ask?

Erg

  Quia mi est natalis dies;
  propterea te vocari ad te ad cenam volo

      Well, to-day is my birthday:  so consider yourself invited to
      take dinner at—­your house.

Hegio

  Facete dictum. sed si pauxillo potes,
  contentus esse.

      (laughing) Well put!  But only on condition you can be
      content with very little.

Erg.