by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)

He is about it
Language: English 
                 He is about it:
The doors are open; and the surfeited grooms
Do mock their charge with snores: 
I have drugg'd their possets,
That death and nature do contend about them,
Whether they live or die... 
[...]
                           I laid their daggers ready;
He could not miss 'em. Had he not resembled
My father as he slept, I had done't...
[...]
Why did you bring these daggers from the place?
They must lie there: go carry them; and smear
The sleepy grooms with blood...
[...]
                                Infirm of purpose!
Give me the daggers: the sleeping and the dead
Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood
That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,
I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal;
For it must seem their guilt.

Available sung texts:   ← What is this?

•   J. Horovitz 

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This text (or a part of it) is used in a work
  • by Joseph Horovitz (b. 1926), "Lady Macbeth", subtitle: "A Scena", 1970, Composer's note: The composer has selected the words from the speeches of Lady Macbeth. This selection is intended to portray the development of this character, from early aspirations to grandeur, to later power and finally to guilt and madness. The implication is that the Scena begins after Lady Macbeth has read the report of Macbeth's victory at the start of the play..

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2016-01-09
Line count: 21
Word count: 129