text_original: Their main privilege was rather that of ruining themselves to please the citizens. They had first to pay a sort of entrance  fee on taking office; they had to regale the populace on the day after their election with at least cake and wine, and often with more costly fare.
text_transcription: THEIR MAIN PRIVILEGE WAS RATHER THAT OF RUINING THEMSELVES TO PLEASE THE CITIZENS THEY HAD FIRST TO PAY A SORT OF ENTRANCE FEE ON TAKING OFFICE THEY HAD TO REGALE THE POPULACE ON THE DAY AFTER THEIR ELECTION WITH AT LEAST CAKE AND WINE AND OFTEN WITH MORE COSTLY FARE
phonemes: ðɛɹ mˈeɪn pɹˈɪvᵻlɪdʒ wʌz ɹˈæðɚ ðæt ʌv ɹˈuːɪnɪŋ ðɛmsˈɛlvz tə plˈiːz ðə sˈɪɾɪzənz. ðeɪ hæd fˈɜːst tə pˈeɪ ɐ sˈɔːɹt ʌv ˈɛntɹəns fˈiː ˌɔn tˈeɪkɪŋ ˈɑːfɪs; ðeɪ hædtə ɹᵻɡˈeɪl ðə pˈɑːpjʊləs ɔnðə dˈeɪ ˈæftɚ ðɛɹ ᵻlˈɛkʃən wɪð æt lˈiːst kˈeɪk ænd wˈaɪn, ænd ˈɔfən wɪð mˈɔːɹ kˈɔstli fˈɛɹ.