First folio
Modern text


Key line

Enter Macbeths Wife alone with a Letter.Enter Macbeth's Wife alone with a letter Mac I.v.1
Lady. LADY 
They met me in the day of successe: and I haue learn'd They met me in the day of success, and I have learned Mac I.v.1
by the perfect'st report, they haue more in them, then mortall by the perfectest report they have more in them than mortal Mac I.v.2
knowledge. When I burnt in desire to question them further, knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, Mac I.v.3
they made themselues Ayre, into which they vanish'd. they made themselves air, into which they vanished. Mac I.v.4
Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came Missiues from Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from Mac I.v.5
the King, who all-hail'd me Thane of Cawdor, by which the King, who all-hailed me Thane of Cawdor; by which Mac I.v.6
Title before, these weyward Sisters saluted me, and referr'd me title before these Weird Sisters saluted me, and referred me Mac I.v.7
to the comming on of time, with haile King that shalt be. to the coming on of time with, ‘ Hail, king that shalt be.’ Mac I.v.8
This haue I thought good to deliuer thee (my dearest Partner This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner Mac I.v.9
of Greatnesse) that thou might'st not loose the dues of reioycing of greatness, that thou mightest not lose the dues of rejoicing Mac I.v.10
by being ignorant of what Greatnesse is promis'd thee. by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Mac I.v.11
Lay it to thy heart and farewell. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell. Mac I.v.12
Glamys thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt beGlamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be Mac I.v.13
What thou art promis'd: yet doe I feare thy Nature,What thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature; Mac I.v.14
It is too full o'th' Milke of humane kindnesse,It is too full o'the milk of human-kindnesshuman-kindness (n.)
old form: humane kindnesse
natural feelings, human qualities
Mac I.v.15
To catch the neerest way. Thou would'st be great,To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great,catch (v.)seize, get hold of, captureMac I.v.16
Art not without Ambition, but withoutArt not without ambition, but without Mac I.v.17
The illnesse should attend it. What thou would'st highly,The illness should attend it. What thou wouldst highlyillness (n.)
old form: illnesse
wickedness, evil conduct, badness
Mac I.v.18
highly (adv.)ambitiously, to be in a high position
attend (v.)accompany, follow closely, go with
That would'st thou holily: would'st not play false,That wouldst thou holily, wouldst not play false,false (adv.)slanderously, faithlessly, with such calumnyMac I.v.19
And yet would'st wrongly winne. Thould'st haue, great Glamys,And yet wouldst wrongly win. Thou'dst have, great Glamis, Mac I.v.20
that which cryes, Thus thou must doe, if thou haue it;That which cries, ‘ Thus thou must do ’ if thou have it, Mac I.v.21
And that which rather thou do'st feare to doe,And that which rather thou dost fear to do Mac I.v.22
Then wishest should be vndone. High thee hither,Than wishest should be undone. Hie thee hitherhie (v.)
old form: High
hasten, hurry, speed
Mac I.v.23
That I may powre my Spirits in thine Eare,That I may pour my spirits in thine ear, Mac I.v.24
And chastise with the valour of my TongueAnd chastise with the valour of my tongue Mac I.v.25
All that impeides thee from the Golden Round,All that impedes thee from the golden roundround (n.)circlet, ring, crownMac I.v.26
Which Fate and Metaphysicall ayde doth seemeWhich fate and metaphysical aid doth seemmetaphysical (adj.)
old form: Metaphysicall
supernatural, transcending the laws of nature
Mac I.v.27
To haue thee crown'd withall.To have thee crowned withal. Mac I.v.28.1
Enter Messenger.Enter Messenger Mac I.v.2
What is your tidings?What is your tidings? Mac I.v.28.2
The King comes here to Night.The King comes here tonight. Mac I.v.29.1
Thou'rt mad to say it.Thou'rt mad to say it! Mac I.v.29.2
Is not thy Master with him? who, wer't so,Is not thy master with him? Who, were't so, Mac I.v.30
Would haue inform'd for preparation.Would have informed for preparation. Mac I.v.31
So please you, it is true: our Thane is comming:So please you, it is true. Our Thane is coming; Mac I.v.32
One of my fellowes had the speed of him;One of my fellows had the speed of him, Mac I.v.33
Who almost dead for breath, had scarcely moreWho, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more Mac I.v.34
Then would make vp his Message.Than would make up his message. Mac I.v.35.1
Giue him tending,Give him tending:tending (n.)attendance, attention, careMac I.v.35.2
He brings great newes,He brings great news. Mac I.v.36.1
Exit Messenger.Exit Messenger Mac I.v.36
The Rauen himselfe is hoarse,The raven himself is hoarse Mac I.v.36.2
That croakes the fatall entrance of DuncanThat croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Mac I.v.37
Vnder my Battlements. Come you Spirits,Under my battlements. Come, you spirits Mac I.v.38
That tend on mortall thoughts, vnsex me here,That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me heremortal (adj.)
old form: mortall
fatal, deadly, lethal
Mac I.v.39
thought (n.)intention, purpose, design
tend on / upon (v.)serve, follow, wait upon, escort
unsex (v.)
old form: vnsex
take away one's sex; here: remove all feminine qualities
And fill me from the Crowne to the Toe, top-fullAnd fill me from the crown to the toe topfulltopfull, topful (adj.)
old form: top-full
brimful, overfull
Mac I.v.40
crown (n.)
old form: Crowne
Of direst Crueltie: make thick my blood,Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood; Mac I.v.41
Stop vp th' accesse, and passage to Remorse,Stop up the access and passage to remorse,remorse (n.)pity, compassion, tendernessMac I.v.42
That no compunctious visitings of NatureThat no compunctious visitings of naturecompunctious (adj.)remorseful, contrite, conscience-strickenMac I.v.43
Shake my fell purpose, nor keepe peace betweeneShake my fell purpose, nor keep peace betweenpurpose (n.)intention, aim, planMac I.v.44
fell (adj.)mighty, terrible
Th' effect, and hit. Come to my Womans Brests,The effect and it. Come to my woman's breastseffect (n.)result, end, outcome, fulfilmentMac I.v.45
And take my Milke for Gall, you murth'ring Ministers,And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers,minister (n.)messenger, agent, servantMac I.v.46
gall (n.)bile [reputed for its bitterness]
Where-euer, in your sightlesse substances,Wherever, in your sightless substances,sightless (adj.)
old form: sightlesse
invisible, unseen, hidden
Mac I.v.47
You wait on Natures Mischiefe. Come thick Night,You wait on nature's mischief. Come, thick night,mischief (n.)
old form: Mischiefe
catastrophe, calamity, misfortune
Mac I.v.48
wait on / upon (v.)accompany, attend
And pall thee in the dunnest smoake of Hell,And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,pall (v.)wrap, cover, drapeMac I.v.49
smoke (n.)mist, fog, vapours
dun (adj.)dark, murky, gloomy
That my keene Knife see not the Wound it makes,That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Mac I.v.50
Nor Heauen peepe through the Blanket of the darke,Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark Mac I.v.51
To cry, hold, hold.To cry, ‘ Hold, hold!’ Mac I.v.52.1
Enter Macbeth.Enter Macbeth Mac I.v.52
Great Glamys, worthy Cawdor,Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor! Mac I.v.52.2
Greater then both, by the all-haile hereafter,Greater than both by the all-hail hereafter! Mac I.v.53
Thy Letters haue transported me beyondThy letters have transported me beyond Mac I.v.54
This ignorant present, and I feele nowThis ignorant present, and I feel now Mac I.v.55
The future in the instant.The future in the instant. Mac I.v.56.1
My dearest Loue,My dearest love, Mac I.v.56.2
Duncan comes here to Night.Duncan comes here tonight. Mac I.v.57.1
And when goes hence?And when goes hence? Mac I.v.57.2
To morrow, as he purposes.Tomorrow, as he purposes.purpose (v.)intend, planMac I.v.58.1
O neuer,O, never Mac I.v.58.2
Shall Sunne that Morrow see.Shall sun that morrow see!morrow (n.)morningMac I.v.59
Your Face, my Thane, is as a Booke, where menYour face, my thane, is as a book where men Mac I.v.60
May reade strange matters, to beguile the time.May read strange matters. To beguile the timetime (n.)(the) world, (the) age, societyMac I.v.61
beguile (v.)cheat, deceive, trick
Looke like the time, beare welcome in your Eye,Look like the time, bear welcome in your eye, Mac I.v.62
Your Hand, your Tongue: looke like th' innocent flower,Your hand, your tongue; look like the innocent flower, Mac I.v.63
But be the Serpent vnder't. He that's comming,But be the serpent under't. He that's coming Mac I.v.64
Must be prouided for: and you shall putMust be provided for; and you shall put Mac I.v.65
This Nights great Businesse into my dispatch,This night's great business into my dispatch,dispatch, despatch (n.)management, direction, supervisionMac I.v.66
Which shall to all our Nights, and Dayes to come,Which shall to all our nights and days to come Mac I.v.67
Giue solely soueraigne sway, and Masterdome.Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.masterdom (n.)
old form: Masterdome
supremacy, dominion, command
Mac I.v.68
solely (adv.)wholly, entirely, altogether
sway (n.)power, dominion, rule
We will speake further,We will speak further. Mac I.v.69.1
Onely looke vp cleare:Only look up clear:clear (adv.)cheerfully, brightly, with unclouded faceMac I.v.69.2
To alter fauor, euer is to feare:To alter favour ever is to fear.favour (n.)
old form: fauor
[facial] appearance, countenance, features, looks
Mac I.v.70
Leaue all the rest to me.Leave all the rest to me. Mac I.v.71
Exeunt.Exeunt Mac I.v.71
 Previous Act I, Scene V Next