First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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Enter Macbeth, Seyton, & Souldiers, with | Enter Macbeth, Seyton, and Soldiers, with drum and | | Mac V.v.1.1 | |
Drum and Colours | colours | | Mac V.v.1.2 | |
Macb. | MACBETH | | | |
Hang out our Banners on the outward walls, | Hang out our banners on the outward walls. | | Mac V.v.1 | |
The Cry is still, they come: our Castles strength | The cry is still ‘ They come.’ Our castle's strength | | Mac V.v.2 | |
Will laugh a Siedge to scorne: Heere let them lye, | Will laugh a siege to scorn. Here let them lie | | Mac V.v.3 | |
Till Famine and the Ague eate them vp: | Till famine and the ague eat them up. | ague (n.)fever, sickness, shaking [as caused by a fever] | Mac V.v.4 | |
Were they not forc'd with those that should be ours, | Were they not farced with those that should be ours | farce, force (v.)stuff, cram | Mac V.v.5 | |
| | force (v.)reinforce, strengthen, augment | | |
We might haue met them darefull, beard to beard, | We might have met them dareful, beard to beard, | dareful (adj.)audacious, bold, full of defiance | Mac V.v.6 | |
And beate them backward home. | And beat them backward home. | | Mac V.v.7.1 | |
A Cry within of Women. | A cry within of women | | Mac V.v.7 | |
What is that noyse? | What is that noise? | | Mac V.v.7.2 | |
Sey. | SEYTON | | | |
It is the cry of women, my good Lord. | It is the cry of women, my good lord. | | Mac V.v.8 | |
| Exit | | Mac V.v.8 | |
Macb. | MACBETH | | | |
I haue almost forgot the taste of Feares: | I have almost forgot the taste of fears. | | Mac V.v.9 | |
The time ha's beene, my sences would haue cool'd | The time has been my senses would have cooled | cool (v.)chill with terror, become cold with fear | Mac V.v.10 | |
To heare a Night-shrieke, and my Fell of haire | To hear a night-shriek, and my fell of hair | fell (n.)skin, hide | Mac V.v.11 | |
Would at a dismall Treatise rowze, and stirre | Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir | stir (v.)move, rouse, excite | Mac V.v.12 | |
| | treatise (n.)story, tale, narrative | | |
| | dismal (adj.)disastrous, calamitous, devastating | | |
As life were in't. I haue supt full with horrors, | As life were in't. I have supped full with horrors: | sup (v.)have supper | Mac V.v.13 | |
Direnesse familiar to my slaughterous thoughts | Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts, | direness (n.)horror, terror, dread | Mac V.v.14 | |
Cannot once start me. | Cannot once start me. | once (adv.)ever, at any time | Mac V.v.15.1 | |
| | start (v.)startle, alarm, disturb | | |
| Enter Seyton | | Mac V.v.15 | |
Wherefore was that cry? | Wherefore was that cry? | | Mac V.v.15.2 | |
Sey. | SEYTON | | | |
The Queene (my Lord) is dead. | The queen, my lord, is dead. | | Mac V.v.16 | |
Macb. | MACBETH | | | |
She should haue dy'de heereafter; | She should have died hereafter. | hereafter (adv.)at some time in the future | Mac V.v.17 | |
There would haue beene a time for such a word: | There would have been a time for such a word – | | Mac V.v.18 | |
To morrow, and to morrow, and to morrow, | Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, | | Mac V.v.19 | |
Creepes in this petty pace from day to day, | Creeps in this petty pace from day to day | | Mac V.v.20 | |
To the last Syllable of Recorded time: | To the last syllable of recorded time; | | Mac V.v.21 | |
And all our yesterdayes, haue lighted Fooles | And all our yesterdays have lighted fools | light (v.)give light to, show the way to | Mac V.v.22 | |
The way to dusty death. Out, out, breefe Candle, | The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! | | Mac V.v.23 | |
Life's but a walking Shadow, a poore Player, | Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player | | Mac V.v.24 | |
That struts and frets his houre vpon the Stage, | That struts and frets his hour upon the stage | fret (v.)distress oneself, worry, express discontent | Mac V.v.25 | |
And then is heard no more. It is a Tale | And then is heard no more. It is a tale | | Mac V.v.26 | |
Told by an Ideot, full of sound and fury | Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, | | Mac V.v.27 | |
Signifying nothing. | Signifying nothing. | | Mac V.v.28 | |
Enter a Messenger. | Enter a Messenger | | Mac V.v.28 | |
Thou com'st to vse thy Tongue: thy Story quickly. | Thou com'st to use thy tongue: thy story quickly! | | Mac V.v.29 | |
Mes. | MESSENGER | | | |
Gracious my Lord, | Gracious my lord, | | Mac V.v.30 | |
I should report that which I say I saw, | I should report that which I say I saw, | | Mac V.v.31 | |
But know not how to doo't. | But know not how to do't. | | Mac V.v.32.1 | |
Macb. | MACBETH | | | |
Well, say sir. | Well, say, sir. | | Mac V.v.32.2 | |
Mes. | MESSENGER | | | |
As I did stand my watch vpon the Hill | As I did stand my watch upon the hill | | Mac V.v.33 | |
I look'd toward Byrnane, and anon me thought | I look'd toward Birnan and anon methought | methinks(t), methought(s) (v.)it seems / seemed to me | Mac V.v.34 | |
| | anon (adv.)soon, shortly, presently | | |
The Wood began to moue. | The wood began to move. | | Mac V.v.35.1 | |
Macb. | MACBETH | | | |
Lyar, and Slaue. | Liar and slave! | | Mac V.v.35.2 | |
Mes. | MESSENGER | | | |
Let me endure your wrath, if't be not so: | Let me endure your wrath if't be not so. | | Mac V.v.36 | |
Within this three Mile may you see it comming. | Within this three mile may you see it coming. | | Mac V.v.37 | |
I say, a mouing Groue. | I say, a moving grove. | | Mac V.v.38.1 | |
Macb. | MACBETH | | | |
If thou speak'st false, | If thou speak'st false, | false (adv.)wrongly, erroneously, in error | Mac V.v.38.2 | |
Vpon the next Tree shall thou hang aliue | Upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive | | Mac V.v.39 | |
Till Famine cling thee: If thy speech be sooth, | Till famine cling thee. If thy speech be sooth, | sooth (adj.)true | Mac V.v.40 | |
| | cling (v.)wither, shrivel, shrink up | | |
I care not if thou dost for me as much. | I care not if thou dost for me as much. | | Mac V.v.41 | |
I pull in Resolution, and begin | I pull in resolution, and begin | pull in (v.)rein in, bring to a halt | Mac V.v.42 | |
To doubt th' Equiuocation of the Fiend, | To doubt the equivocation of the fiend | equivocation (n.)ambiguous usage, double-meaning | Mac V.v.43 | |
That lies like truth. Feare not, till Byrnane Wood | That lies like truth. ‘ Fear not, till Birnan Wood | | Mac V.v.44 | |
Do come to Dunsinane, and now a Wood | Do come to Dunsinane ’ – and now a wood | | Mac V.v.45 | |
Comes toward Dunsinane. Arme, Arme, and out, | Comes toward Dunsinane. Arm, arm, and out! | | Mac V.v.46 | |
If this which he auouches, do's appeare, | If this which he avouches does appear, | avouch (v.)declare, assert, affirm | Mac V.v.47 | |
There is nor flying hence, nor tarrying here. | There is nor flying hence nor tarrying here. | tarry (v.)stay, remain, linger | Mac V.v.48 | |
I 'ginne to be a-weary of the Sun, | I 'gin to be aweary of the sun, | gin, 'gin (v.), past form gan, 'ganbegin [to] | Mac V.v.49 | |
| | aweary, a-weary (adj.)weary, tired | | |
And wish th' estate o'th' world were now vndon. | And wish the estate o'the world were now undone. – | estate (n.)state, situation, circumstances | Mac V.v.50 | |
Ring the Alarum Bell, blow Winde, come wracke, | Ring the alarum bell! – Blow wind, come wrack, | wrack (n.)destruction, ruin | Mac V.v.51 | |
| | alarum-bell, 'larum-bell (n.)warning bell | | |
At least wee'l dye with Harnesse on our backe. | At least we'll die with harness on our back. | harness (n.)armour | Mac V.v.52 | |
Exeunt | Exeunt | | Mac V.v.52 | |