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All Site ContentJulius CaesarAct 4Scene 2
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"venom of your spleen"
Language
Act 4,
Scene 2
Lines 91-102a

An explanation of the phrase “venom of your spleen” in Act 4, Scene 2 of myShakespeare’s Julius Caesar.

Brutus

Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?

Cassius

O ye gods, ye gods! Must I endure all this?

Brutus

All this? Ay, more! Fret till your proud heart break.
Go show your slaves how choleric you are,
And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humor? By the gods,
You shall digest the venom of your spleen
Though it do split you; for, from this day forth,
I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.

Going all the way back to the ancient Greeks, it was believed that the black bile secreted by the spleen was the cause of foul temper. This belief is still reflected in the modern expression, "to vent your spleen on someone." Brutus is not going to let Cassius vent his spleen on him; whenever Cassius is in a bad mood, Brutus is just going to laugh it off.