First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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| 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 | weird (adj.) controlling human fate or destiny, a weird sister was one of the Fates; only with reference to the witches in Macbeth | 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 be | Glamis 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-kindness | human-kindness (n.)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, capture | Mac I.v.16 | |
| Art not without Ambition, but without | Art 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 highly | illness (n.)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 calumny | Mac 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 hither | hie (v.)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 Tongue | And 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 round | round (n.)circlet, ring, crown | Mac I.v.26 | |
| Which Fate and Metaphysicall ayde doth seeme | Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem | metaphysical (adj.)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 | |
| Mess. | MESSENGER | | | |
| The King comes here to Night. | The King comes here tonight. | | Mac I.v.29.1 | |
| Lady. | LADY | | | |
| 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 | |
| Mess. | MESSENGER | | | |
| 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 more | Who, 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 | |
| Lady. | LADY | | | |
| Giue him tending, | Give him tending: | tending (n.)attendance, attention, care | Mac 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 Duncan | That 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 here | mortal (adj.)fatal, deadly, lethal | Mac I.v.39 | |
| | thought (n.)intention, purpose, design | | |
| | tend on / upon (v.)serve, follow, wait upon, escort | | |
| | unsex (v.)take away one's sex; here: remove all feminine qualities | | |
| And fill me from the Crowne to the Toe, top-full | And fill me from the crown to the toe topfull | topfull, topful (adj.)brimful, overfull | Mac I.v.40 | |
| | crown (n.)head | | |
| 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, tenderness | Mac I.v.42 | |
| That no compunctious visitings of Nature | That no compunctious visitings of nature | compunctious (adj.)remorseful, contrite, conscience-stricken | Mac I.v.43 | |
| Shake my fell purpose, nor keepe peace betweene | Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between | purpose (n.)intention, aim, plan | Mac 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 breasts | effect (n.)result, end, outcome, fulfilment | Mac 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, servant | Mac I.v.46 | |
| | gall (n.)bile [reputed for its bitterness] | | |
| Where-euer, in your sightlesse substances, | Wherever, in your sightless substances, | sightless (adj.)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.)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, drape | Mac 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 beyond | Thy letters have transported me beyond | | Mac I.v.54 | |
| This ignorant present, and I feele now | This 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 | |
| Macb. | MACBETH | | | |
| 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 | |
| Lady. | LADY | | | |
| And when goes hence? | And when goes hence? | | Mac I.v.57.2 | |
| Macb. | MACBETH | | | |
| To morrow, as he purposes. | Tomorrow, as he purposes. | purpose (v.)intend, plan | Mac I.v.58.1 | |
| Lady. | LADY | | | |
| O neuer, | O, never | | Mac I.v.58.2 | |
| Shall Sunne that Morrow see. | Shall sun that morrow see! | morrow (n.)morning | Mac I.v.59 | |
| Your Face, my Thane, is as a Booke, where men | Your 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 time | time (n.)(the) world, (the) age, society | Mac 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 put | Must 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, supervision | Mac 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.)supremacy, dominion, command | Mac I.v.68 | |
| | solely (adv.)wholly, entirely, altogether | | |
| | sway (n.)power, dominion, rule | | |
| Macb. | MACBETH | | | |
| We will speake further, | We will speak further. | | Mac I.v.69.1 | |
| Lady. | LADY | | | |
| Onely looke vp cleare: | Only look up clear: | clear (adv.)cheerfully, brightly, with unclouded face | Mac I.v.69.2 | |
| To alter fauor, euer is to feare: | To alter favour ever is to fear. | favour (n.)[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 | |