The day I met two men wheezing in Babylon

Part 1

Since his early days his passion of exploring beyond the world he knew drove him to day dream, day dreaming​ of himself flying and leaving Rome visiting Babylon the city his mother always used to mention in her bedtime stories. They city that holds the lore of the orient. Where lovers meet and where he might find greatness.
And days went by, here's the little boy grown standing beside his father by the red sea observing the marchents of Babylon.
Here you would observe everything from marchents selling dates to elligant pearls to any kind of well woven fabric by the hand of maidens. Our friend made the decision to fit in, from making relationships​ to learning their language in the hope of getting someday the chance of being taken to there, and eventually it happened. Sooner than later he found himself on the city gates.
Every thing about the city represented the long dreamed of adventure he had, the dancers, clothes, magicians, jesters, and variety of people of different skin. And not to mention the  statues of  a the great king filling every square!. Of all weird and wonderful one thing cought his mind that day! It was two young men leaning in squatting manner to a high wall of some sort of a  building, wheezing like dogs! Yes exactly like dogs!. At the time he told himself jestingly: "as long as they wheeze they might as well bite".
But curiousity killed him, he (in cautious manner) went his way to ask them in his weak Babylonian heavy accented language "umm, dear sirs may I ask why you breathe this heavy" 
He (while ready to run if they attack) got unexpected answer:
"We would tell you if you would be willing to pay us first".....