PISO

Nonsense! He was born with that thirst. As for his legs, they are simply overworked. The human leg was designed to carry a man, and nothing more. Add his clothes, his conscience, his artillery, and his jewelry, and then pile on a barrel of wine or so every day, and it begins to lose confidence in itself.

POLORUS

The Empress Paula tells me—

PISO

Yes, I know all about the patent medicines he's swallowed and the quacks he's had here. There was that Syrian, for instance. He prescribed water-drinking.

POLORUS

She says he couldn't keep it on his stomach.

PISO

No wonder! I daresay his stomach wondered what it was.