Macbeth quotes from act 1

Fair is foul, and foul is fair. – The Witches

So foul and fair a day I have not seen. – Macbeth

Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires. – Macbeth

If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me. – Macbeth

Nothing in his life became him like the leaving it. – Captain

Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under ‘t. – Lady Macbeth

Come what come may, time and the hour runs through the roughest day. – Banquo

There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face. – Duncan

What are these, so withered and so wild in their attire, that look not like the inhabitants of the earth? – Banquo

But ’tis strange. And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths. – Banquo

There’s daggers in men’s smiles. – Donalbain

Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. – Second Witch

All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! – First Witch

O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman! – Duncan

If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak then to me. – Banquo

The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down, or else o’erleap. – Macbeth

If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well it were done quickly. – Macbeth

Yet I do fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness. – Lady Macbeth

Hurry home, my dear, for the night is long and I am eager to welcome you. – Lady Macbeth

I have given suck, and know how tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me. – Lady Macbeth

False face must hide what the false heart doth know. – Macbeth

There’s husbandry in heaven; their candles are all out. – Banquo

What, sir, not yet at rest? The king’s a-bed. He hath been in unusual pleasure, and sent forth great largess to your offices. – Lennox

There’s no bottom, none, in my voluptuousness. – Duncan

Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? – Macbeth

I drink to the general joy o’ the whole table, and to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss. – Macbeth

To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus. – Macbeth

Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, as the weird women promised, and I fear thou played most foully for ‘t. – Banquo

We will establish our estate upon our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter The Prince of Cumberland. – Duncan

There’s daggers in men’s smiles: the near in blood, the nearer bloody. – Donalbain

False face must hide what the false heart doth know. – Macbeth

Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? – Macbeth

Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or hell. – Macbeth

I had most need of blessing, and ‘Amen’ stuck in my throat. – Macbeth

I could not say ‘Amen,’ when they did say ‘God bless us’. – Macbeth

We will proceed no further in this business. – Macbeth

I dare do all that may become a man. – Macbeth

I have done the deed. – Macbeth

Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep. – Macbeth

A little water clears us of this deed. – Lady Macbeth

What hands are here? Ha! They pluck out mine eyes. – Macbeth

Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? – Macbeth

Out, damned spot! Out, I say! – Lady Macbeth

My hands are of your color, but I shame to wear a heart so white. – Lady Macbeth

It will have blood, they say; blood will have blood. – Macbeth

O, full of scorpions is my mind! – Macbeth

By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. – Second Witch

I conjure you, by that which you profess, howe’er you come to know it, answer me. – Macduff

The night is long that never finds the day. – Second Witch

I’ll be myself the harbinger and make joyful the hearing of my wife with your approach. – Macbeth