Meaning & Analysis
To offer someone something desirable, like roasted meat, and then to immediately attack them with the very instrument used to cook it, the spit.
Insights
Deceptive Generosity
The proverb illustrates an act of profound betrayal where an apparent kindness or a generous offer is merely a pretext for inflicting harm or asserting dominance. The gift is a lure into a trap.
A Gift with a Cruel Cost
It symbolizes a situation where a benefit is inextricably tied to a significant, painful drawback. The pleasure of the 'roast meat' is immediately negated by the pain from the 'spit', suggesting that some gifts come at too high a price.
Treacherous Hospitality
The proverb serves as a metaphor for false or treacherous hospitality. It describes being welcomed or invited into a situation that appears positive, only to be mistreated or exploited once one's guard is down.
Abuse of Power
It highlights a manipulative power dynamic where a superior offers a reward to entice a subordinate and then immediately punishes them, keeping them in a state of confusion and submission.
Historical and Domestic Context
The proverb's imagery is rooted in the domestic reality of early modern kitchens, where the spit—a long metal rod used for roasting—was a common household object that could easily be turned into a weapon. This grounds the act of betrayal in a familiar, everyday context, making the violation of hospitality feel particularly visceral and immediate.
Psychological Manipulation
This proverb masterfully captures the psychological disorientation of receiving mixed signals—an act of kindness immediately followed by an act of cruelty. This dynamic is a common feature of abusive or manipulative relationships, where generosity is used as a tool to create dependency or vulnerability before harm is inflicted.
Violation of Hospitality
The act of being fed and then beaten violates the ancient and sacred social contract of hospitality. The proverb serves as a powerful critique of social hypocrisy, where the outward performance of generosity masks malicious intent, warning individuals to be wary of gifts that come with unseen costs.
Moral and Theological Allegory
The quotation from T. Adams (1614), which likens this action to Satan's 'tricks', elevates the proverb from a simple social observation to a moral and theological warning. It frames deceptive kindness not just as a social faux pas, but as a form of evil that lures victims with temptation (the feast) only to cause their ruin (beating with the spit).
Rhetorical Devices
Antithesis
The proverb's core strength lies in the stark juxtaposition of a generous act (giving meat) with a violent one (beating with the spit), creating a jarring and memorable image of betrayal.
Irony
There is a potent situational irony in the tool of provision (the spit) becoming the weapon of punishment. The very object that delivers the kindness is used to inflict the cruelty.
Symbolism
The 'roast meat' serves as a powerful symbol for any tempting offer, gift, or lure, while the 'spit' symbolizes the hidden, painful consequence or betrayal that accompanies it.
Sensory Imagery
The proverb evokes strong sensory imagery of taste and pleasure ('roast meat') contrasted with the sharp, physical pain of being beaten, making its meaning both intellectually and emotionally impactful.
Transcription
Quotations
Such are not to bee liked that giue a man a shoulder of Mutton, and breake his head with the Spitte when they haue done.
To electe mee to the callinge of thy moste intimate frends, and reiect me to the number of thy greatest foes, were to call me to the roste, and beate mee with the spitte.
Thou art bidden to the feast by loue, and art beaten with the spit by beauty.
That bids you sit and eate, but you with spit doth beate.
Ye should not call me to the rost and ding me with the speet.
Satan according to the tricks of some shifting Hostess, bids many friends to a Feast, and then beates them with the Spit.
He biddeth him to roastmeate, and smiteth him with the spit.
(Give a dog rost, and).
(Bid a man to rost, and).
[As in 1636 Cam.].
(Dog).
A bit and a knock, the roast-meat first, and the spit afterwards.
Give me roastmeat, and beat me with the spit.
They were bidden to the rost, and beaten with the spit.
Bid me to the Roast, and beat me with the Spit.
Annotations
- Spoken when we are invited to our Cost.
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
Used under CC BY-NC 3.0.