The saying “revenge is a dish best served cold” resonates across cultures and centuries, evoking images of calculated retribution and delayed gratification. It sounds like a proverb steeped in antiquity, perhaps uttered by Shakespearean characters or found within ancient texts. While vengeance is indeed a timeless theme explored throughout history and literature, the precise origins of this popular phrase are more nuanced and surprisingly modern. Let’s delve into the history of this intriguing idiom to uncover its true meaning and trace its fascinating journey through literature and popular culture.
Debunking the Myths: Shakespeare and French Misdirection
One might naturally assume the proverb has roots in Tudor England, given the era’s dramatic fascination with revenge. Figures like Francis Bacon certainly penned insightful observations on vengeance, such as “Revenge is a kind of wild justice” and “Revenge triumphs over death.” However, “revenge is a dish best served cold” isn’t among them, nor does it surface in Shakespeare’s extensive works.
Another common misconception points to a French origin, specifically Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’s renowned epistolary novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses (1782). The supposed French equivalent, “La vengeance est un plat qui se mange froide,” is often cited as the source. However, this elegant-sounding French phrase is a phantom; it doesn’t actually appear in Les Liaisons Dangereuses or any other work by de Laclos. This appears to be a case of folk etymology, an invented origin story that, while plausible, lacks factual basis.
Tracing the True Origins: Eugène Sue and 19th-Century France
The earliest documented appearance of the proverb in a form recognizable to us emerges from 19th-century France. French author Eugène Sue, in his novel Memoirs of Matilda (1846), penned the line:
And then revenge is very good eaten cold, as the vulgar say.
This English translation by D. G. Osbourne marks a significant milestone, presenting the phrase in italics, suggesting it was already a circulating expression at the time. While the ultimate authorship remains debated – whether attributed to Sue or the translator Osbourne who first used it in English – Memoirs of Matilda provides a concrete early example of the proverb’s usage.
From Literature to the Silver Screen: Popularizing the Proverb
Regardless of its exact genesis, the proverb “revenge is a dish best served cold” clearly struck a chord with English speakers. Its evocative imagery and insightful commentary on the nature of revenge propelled it into wider recognition, particularly through its adoption in cinematic masterpieces. Three iconic films notably feature the proverb, cementing its place in popular culture:
- Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949): This British black comedy elegantly phrases it as: “Revenge is a dish which people of taste prefer to eat cold.”
- The Godfather (1972): Don Corleone, in a chillingly calm delivery, states: “Revenge is a dish that tastes best when it is cold.”
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982): Khan Noonien Singh, quoting a Klingon proverb (in a fictional context), asks: “Kirk, old friend, do you know the Klingon proverb, ‘Revenge is a dish best served cold’?”
These cinematic appearances, spanning genres and decades, illustrate the proverb’s enduring appeal and its ability to succinctly capture the essence of calculated, delayed revenge. From Parisian novels to British comedies, New York crime dramas, and even the far reaches of the Klingon Empire, “revenge is a dish best served cold” has proven its versatility and timeless relevance as a proverb that continues to resonate.
