Erg monologue — The Captivi and the Mostellaria

He has gone away from here, _and_ has entrusted to me the most important concern of catering. Immortal Gods! how I shall now be slicing necks off of sides; how vast a downfall will befall the gammon [1]; how vast a belabouring the bacon! How great a using-up of udders, how vast a bewailing for the brawn! How great a bestirring for the butchers, how great a _preparation_ for the pork-sellers! But if I were to enumerate the rest of the things which minister to the supply of the stomach, 'twould be _sheer_ delay. Now will I go off to my government, to give laws to the bacon, and, those gammons that are hanging uncondemned, [2] to give aid to them. (_Goes into the house._)