First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
| |
| Alarum within. | Alarum within. | | Mac I.ii.1.1 | |
| Enter King Malcome, Donalbaine, Lenox, | Enter King Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lennox, | | Mac I.ii.1.2 | |
| with attendants, meeting a bleeding Captaine. | with Attendants, meeting a bleeding Captain | | Mac I.ii.1.3 | |
| King. | DUNCAN | | | |
| What bloody man is that? he can report, | What bloody man is that? He can report, | | Mac I.ii.1 | |
| As seemeth by his plight, of the Reuolt | As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt | | Mac I.ii.2 | |
| The newest state. | The newest state. | | Mac I.ii.3.1 | |
| Mal. | MALCOLM | | | |
| This is the Serieant, | This is the sergeant | sergeant (n.) officer [in an army] | Mac I.ii.3.2 | |
| Who like a good and hardie Souldier fought | Who like a good and hardy soldier fought | | Mac I.ii.4 | |
| 'Gainst my Captiuitie: Haile braue friend; | 'Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend! | brave (adj.)noble, worthy, excellent | Mac I.ii.5 | |
| Say to the King, the knowledge of the Broyle, | Say to the King the knowledge of the broil | broil (n.)turmoil, confused fighting, battle | Mac I.ii.6 | |
| As thou didst leaue it. | As thou didst leave it. | | Mac I.ii.7.1 | |
| Cap. | CAPTAIN | | | |
| Doubtfull it stood, | Doubtful it stood, | | Mac I.ii.7.2 | |
| As two spent Swimmers, that doe cling together, | As two spent swimmers, that do cling together | | Mac I.ii.8 | |
| And choake their Art: The mercilesse Macdonwald | And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald – | choke (v.)smother, suffocate, stifle | Mac I.ii.9 | |
| (Worthie to be a Rebell, for to that | Worthy to be a rebel, for to that | | Mac I.ii.10 | |
| The multiplying Villanies of Nature | The multiplying villainies of nature | | Mac I.ii.11 | |
| Doe swarme vpon him) from the Westerne Isles | Do swarm upon him – from the Western Isles | | Mac I.ii.12 | |
| Of Kernes and Gallowgrosses is supply'd, | Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied, | supply (v.)reinforce, support, strengthen | Mac I.ii.13 | |
| | kern (n.)lightly armed Irish foot-soldier | | |
| | galloglass, gallowglass (n.)axe-wielding Irish soldier | | |
| And Fortune on his damned Quarry smiling, | And fortune on his damned quarrel smiling | | Mac I.ii.14 | |
| Shew'd like a Rebells Whore: but all's too weake: | Showed like a rebel's whore. But all's too weak: | | Mac I.ii.15 | |
| For braue Macbeth (well hee deserues that Name) | For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name – | brave (adj.)noble, worthy, excellent | Mac I.ii.16 | |
| Disdayning Fortune, with his brandisht Steele, | Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, | | Mac I.ii.17 | |
| Which smoak'd with bloody execution | Which smoked with bloody execution, | execution (n.)killing, slaying, slaughter | Mac I.ii.18 | |
| | smoke (v.)give off steam [i.e. blood] | | |
| (Like Valours Minion) caru'd out his passage, | Like valour's minion carved out his passage | minion (n.)darling, favourite, select one | Mac I.ii.19 | |
| Till hee fac'd the Slaue: | Till he faced the slave – | | Mac I.ii.20 | |
| Which neu'r shooke hands, nor bad farwell to him, | Which ne'er shook hands nor bade farewell to him | | Mac I.ii.21 | |
| Till he vnseam'd him from the Naue toth' Chops, | Till he unseamed him from the nave to the chops, | chaps, chops (n.)jaws | Mac I.ii.22 | |
| | nave (n.)navel | | |
| | unseam (v.)split in two, rip up, undo the seam of | | |
| And fix'd his Head vpon our Battlements. | And fixed his head upon our battlements. | | Mac I.ii.23 | |
| King. | DUNCAN | | | |
| O valiant Cousin, worthy Gentleman. | O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman! | | Mac I.ii.24 | |
| Cap. | CAPTAIN | | | |
| As whence the Sunne 'gins his reflection, | As, whence the sun 'gins his reflection, | reflection (n.)return, turning back, retrogression [at the spring equinox] | Mac I.ii.25 | |
| | gin, 'gin (v.), past form gan, 'ganbegin [to] | | |
| Shipwracking Stormes, and direfull Thunders: | Shipwracking storms and direful thunders; | shipwracking (adj.)causing shipwreck | Mac I.ii.26 | |
| | direful (adj.)dreadful, terrible, frightful | | |
| So from that Spring, whence comfort seem'd to come, | So, from that spring whence comfort seemed to come, | | Mac I.ii.27 | |
| Discomfort swells: Marke King of Scotland, marke, | Discomfort swells. Mark, King of Scotland, mark! | discomfort (n.)discouragement, loss of heart | Mac I.ii.28 | |
| | mark (v.)note, pay attention [to], take notice [of] | | |
| No sooner Iustice had, with Valour arm'd, | No sooner justice had, with valour armed, | | Mac I.ii.29 | |
| Compell'd these skipping Kernes to trust their heeles, | Compelled these skipping kerns to trust their heels | kern (n.)lightly armed Irish foot-soldier | Mac I.ii.30 | |
| | skipping (adj.)runaway, fugitive; or: lightly armed | | |
| But the Norweyan Lord, surueying vantage, | But the Norweyan lord, surveying vantage, | Norweyan (adj.)Norwegian | Mac I.ii.31 | |
| | survey (v.)see, note, perceive | | |
| | vantage (n.)right moment, suitable opportunity | | |
| With furbusht Armes, and new supplyes of men, | With furbished arms and new supplies of men, | furbished (adj.)gleaming, shining; or: refurbished, refitted | Mac I.ii.32 | |
| Began a fresh assault. | Began a fresh assault. | | Mac I.ii.33.1 | |
| King. | DUNCAN | | | |
| Dismay'd not this | Dismayed not this | | Mac I.ii.33.2 | |
| our Captaines, Macbeth and Banquoh? | Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo? | | Mac I.ii.34.1 | |
| Cap. | CAPTAIN | | | |
| Yes, | Yes – | | Mac I.ii.34.2 | |
| as Sparrowes, Eagles; / Or the Hare, the Lyon: | As sparrows, eagles, or the hare, the lion. | | Mac I.ii.35 | |
| If I say sooth, I must report they were | If I say sooth I must report they were | sooth (adj.)true | Mac I.ii.36 | |
| As Cannons ouer-charg'd with double Cracks, | As cannons overcharged with double cracks; | crack (n.)cannon-shot, explosive charge | Mac I.ii.37 | |
| So they | So they | | Mac I.ii.38 | |
| doubly redoubled stroakes vpon the Foe: | Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe. | | Mac I.ii.39 | |
| Except they meant to bathe in reeking Wounds, | Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds | | Mac I.ii.40 | |
| Or memorize another Golgotha, | Or memorize another Golgotha, | memorize (v.)make memorable, cause to be remembered | Mac I.ii.41 | |
| I cannot tell: | I cannot tell. | | Mac I.ii.42 | |
| but I am faint, My Gashes cry for helpe. | – But I am faint; my gashes cry for help. | | Mac I.ii.43 | |
| King. | DUNCAN | | | |
| So well thy words become thee, as thy wounds, | So well thy words become thee as thy wounds, | become (v.)grace, honour, dignify | Mac I.ii.44 | |
| They smack of Honor both: Goe get him Surgeons. | They smack of honour both. Go get him surgeons. | | Mac I.ii.45 | |
| Exit Captain with Attendants | | Mac I.ii.45 | |
| Enter Rosse and Angus. | Enter Ross and Angus | | Mac I.ii.45 | |
| Who comes here? | Who comes here? | | Mac I.ii.46.1 | |
| Mal. | MALCOLM | | | |
| The worthy Thane of Rosse. | The worthy Thane of Ross. | | Mac I.ii.46.2 | |
| Lenox. | LENNOX | | | |
| What a haste lookes through his eyes? | What a haste looks through his eyes! | | Mac I.ii.47 | |
| So should he looke, that seemes to speake things strange. | So should he look that seems to speak things strange. | seem (v.)have the look [of], give the appearance [of] | Mac I.ii.48 | |
| Rosse. | ROSS | | | |
| God saue the King. | God save the King! | | Mac I.ii.49 | |
| King. | DUNCAN | | | |
| Whence cam'st thou, worthy Thane? | Whence cam'st thou, worthy thane? | | Mac I.ii.50.1 | |
| Rosse. | ROSS | | | |
| From Fiffe, great King, | From Fife, great King, | | Mac I.ii.50.2 | |
| Where the Norweyan Banners flowt the Skie, | Where the Norweyan banners flout the sky | Norweyan (adj.)Norwegian | Mac I.ii.51 | |
| | flout (v.)insult, abuse, mock | | |
| And fanne our people cold. | And fan our people cold. | | Mac I.ii.52 | |
| Norway himselfe, with terrible numbers, | Norway himself, with terrible numbers, | | Mac I.ii.53 | |
| Assisted by that most disloyall Traytor, | Assisted by that most disloyal traitor, | | Mac I.ii.54 | |
| The Thane of Cawdor, began a dismall Conflict, | The Thane of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict, | | Mac I.ii.55 | |
| Till that Bellona's Bridegroome, lapt in proofe, | Till that Bellona's bridegroom, lapped in proof, | proof (n.)tested strength, proven power of resistance, impenetrability | Mac I.ii.56 | |
| | lap (v.)wrap, swathe, enfold, clad | | |
| | Bellona (n.)[pron: bel'ohna] Roman goddess of war | | |
| Confronted him with selfe-comparisons, | Confronted him with self-comparisons, | | Mac I.ii.57 | |
| Point against Point, rebellious Arme 'gainst Arme, | Point against point-rebellious, arm 'gainst arm, | point (n.)sword-point | Mac I.ii.58 | |
| Curbing his lauish spirit: and to conclude, | Curbing his lavish spirit; and to conclude, | lavish (adj.)undisciplined, impetuous, wild | Mac I.ii.59 | |
| The Victorie fell on vs. | The victory fell on us – | | Mac I.ii.60.1 | |
| King. | DUNCAN | | | |
| Great happinesse. | Great happiness! | | Mac I.ii.60.2 | |
| Rosse. | ROSS | | | |
| That now Sweno, the Norwayes King, | – That now Sweno, the Norways' King, | | Mac I.ii.61 | |
| Craues composition: | Craves composition; | crave (v.)beg, entreat, request | Mac I.ii.62 | |
| | composition (n.)settlement, truce, coming to terms | | |
| Nor would we deigne him buriall of his men, | Nor would we deign him burial of his men | | Mac I.ii.63 | |
| Till he disbursed, at Saint Colmes ynch, | Till he disbursed at Saint Colm's Inch | Saint Colm's InchInchcolm; small island in the Firth of Forth, E Scotland; site of an abbey | Mac I.ii.64 | |
| Ten thousand Dollars, to our generall vse. | Ten thousand dollars to our general use. | dollar (n.)German silver coin | Mac I.ii.65 | |
| King. | DUNCAN | | | |
| No more that Thane of Cawdor shall deceiue | No more that Thane of Cawdor shall deceive | | Mac I.ii.66 | |
| Our Bosome interest: Goe pronounce his present death, | Our bosom interest. Go pronounce his present death, | bosom (adj.)intimate, confidential, close | Mac I.ii.67 | |
| And with his former Title greet Macbeth. | And with his former title greet Macbeth. | | Mac I.ii.68 | |
| Rosse. | ROSS | | | |
| Ile see it done. | I'll see it done. | | Mac I.ii.69 | |
| King. | DUNCAN | | | |
| What he hath lost, Noble Macbeth hath wonne. | What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won. | | Mac I.ii.70 | |
| Exeunt. | Exeunt | | Mac I.ii.70 | |