Vol. 08 · Shakespeare ·Macbeth, Act IV.i ·Second Witch
"By the pricking of my thumbs, something evil this way comes."
Not quite the line.
How it's usually quoted
"By the pricking of my thumbs, something evil this way comes."
What Shakespeare actually wrote
"By the pricking of my thumbs, / Something wicked this way comes." Second Witch — Macbeth, Act IV.i
Why it matters
"Wicked" is the specific word — morally bad, purposefully harmful. "Evil" is a broader synonym that softens the line's sting.
More from the canon.
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