# What is with witches and eye of newt? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 10, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-witches-and-eye-of-newt/147834 "2003-01-10T22:24:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-witches-and-eye-of-newt/147834/1 "2003-01-10T22:24:26Z")
Was this really a popular ingredient in spells? Why? What are the magical properties of newts? When did this become cliche? ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-witches-and-eye-of-newt/147834/2 "2003-01-10T22:29:37Z")
I don’t have a cite but I think eye of newt and all that jazz was part of the witches brew spell in one of the various Shakespeare plays. I think it was MacBeth. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-witches-and-eye-of-newt/147834/3 "2003-01-10T23:01:54Z")
Yep, **dorkus** is right. _Macbeth_ Act IV: Scene I: A cavern. In the middle, a cauldron boiling: > [@](#): > > **ALL:** Double, double toil and trouble; > Fire burn and cauldron bubble. > > **WITCH 2:** Fillet of a fenny snake, > In the cauldron boil and bake: > Oh good grief, for heaven’s sake; > Just what is it we’re trying to make? > Eye of newt and toe of frog, > Wool of bat and tongue of dog, > How will we find them in this fog, > Maybe some dead ones in the bog. > Adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting, > Lizard’s leg and howlet’s wing, > Why not add a piece of string. > And I’ll give the pizza shop a ring. > For a charm of powerful trouble, > Like a hell-broth boil and bubble. > Now my recipe’s in a muddle, > I shouldn’t have dropped it in the puddle. > ALL Double, double toil and trouble; > Fire burn and cauldron bubble. ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-witches-and-eye-of-newt/147834/4 "2003-01-10T23:54:10Z")
“And I’ll give the pizza shop a ring”? Hello, Dominos. Why yes, you can use that coupon with the new eye of newt supreme! You also have your chose of two more toppings, such as brunswick moss and testicle of rat. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-witches-and-eye-of-newt/147834/5 "2003-01-11T00:09:13Z")
OK, you caught me. here’s the real quote: > [@](#): > > Fillet of a fenny snake, > In the cauldron boil and bake; > Eye of newt and toe of frog, > Wool of bat and tongue of dog, > Adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting, > Lizard’s leg and owlet’s wing, > _For a charm of powerful trouble, > Like a hell-broth boil and bubble._ I should add that I didn’t write the final few verses in my previous post but, rather, received them through email a long time ago. Damned if I know who the original author was. ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-witches-and-eye-of-newt/147834/6 "2003-01-11T00:10:45Z")
Anyway, I didn’t address the whole cliche and magical property thing. It would be a wide assed guess that Shakespeare pulled it out of his cornhole because it sounded vaguely witchy. And since it was Shakespeare and popular of course it spread around. I would also wager to guess that the closest people got to “real” witches was vicariously through literature. None of the self respecting witches I know now would try to make disgusting body part stew. PS. Thanks Hodge for providing the a frame of reference. I knew it was familiar but it has been a very long time since I have read MacBeth. ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-witches-and-eye-of-newt/147834/7 "2003-01-11T00:18:02Z")
IIRC, W.S. wrote MacBeth about 1607, after James I succeeded Elizabeth. James had a thing about witches and had previously written a reference book about them. W.S. incorporated the witch theme as a suckup to James. Actually, the whole play was a suckup to James, as the Stuarts trace their ancestry to the guy (name escapes me) who killed and succeeded MacBeth as King of Scotland in the play. Maybe the witches’ chant is based upon Jim’s book. ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-witches-and-eye-of-newt/147834/8 "2003-01-11T00:27:32Z")
I was pretty close. 1606 was the date of the play, and James’ Stuart ancestor was Fleance, son of Banquo. [http://www.croftstudycentre.freeserve.co.uk/macbeth.htm](http://www.croftstudycentre.freeserve.co.uk/macbeth.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-witches-and-eye-of-newt/147834/9 "2003-01-11T00:31:35Z")
\ Is this why Newt Gingrich was blind to other opinions in Congress? \ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-witches-and-eye-of-newt/147834/10 "2003-01-11T00:41:08Z")
Patty: (tastes) This needs more eye-of-newt. Selma: You always want more eye-of-newt. If it were up to you, the brew would be nothing but newt-eyes. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-witches-and-eye-of-newt/147834/11 "2003-01-11T00:45:28Z")
FTR, it wasn’t actually bat or dog: [Witchy Ingredients](http://www.cam.za.net/ofinterest/witchyingredients.html) ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-witches-and-eye-of-newt/147834/12 "2003-01-12T16:38:09Z")
Someone’s just been over at the Brunching Shuttlecocks’ [Bandwidth Theater](http://www.brunching.com/mitsyscoven.html).