GELLERT. "ACH, IHRO MAJESTAT: if the horse were as weak as I am, he would be of no use to me; if he were stronger, I should be too weak to manage him." (Mark this of the Horse, however; a tale hangs by it.)
KING. "Then you must drive out."
GELLERT. "For that I am deficient in the means."
KING. "Yes, that is true; that is what Authors (GELEHRTE) in Deutschland are always deficient in. I suppose these are bad times, are not they?"
GELLERT. "JA WOHL; and if your Majesty would grant us Peace (DEN FRIEDEN GEBEN WOLLTEN)—"
KING. "How can I? Have not you heard, then? There are three of them against me (ES SIND JA DREI WIDER MICH)!"
GELLERT. "I have more to do with the Ancients and their History than with the Moderns."
KING (changing the topic). "What do you think, is Homer or Virgil the finer as an Epic Poet?"
GELLERT. "Homer, as the more original."
KING. "But Virgil is much more polished (VIEL POLIRTER)."