Act IV, Scene 1

A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron.

[Thunder. Enter the three Witches]

• First Witch. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.

• Second Witch. Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.

• Third Witch. Harpier cries 'Tis time, 'tis time. 1550

• First Witch. Round about the cauldron go;
  In the poison'd entrails throw.
  Toad, that under cold stone
  Days and nights has thirty-one
  Swelter'd venom sleeping got, 1555
  Boil thou first i' the charmed pot.

• All. Double, double toil and trouble;
  Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

• Second Witch. Fillet of a fenny snake,
  In the cauldron boil and bake; 1560
  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, 1565
  Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

• All. Double, double toil and trouble;
  Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

• Third Witch. Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
  Witches' mummy, maw and gulf 1570
  Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark,
  Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark,
  Liver of blaspheming Jew,
  Gall of goat, and slips of yew
  Silver'd in the moon's eclipse, 1575
  Nose of Turk and Tartar's lips,
  Finger of birth-strangled babe
  Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,
  Make the gruel thick and slab:
  Add thereto a tiger's chaudron, 1580
  For the ingredients of our cauldron.

• All. Double, double toil and trouble;
  Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

• Second Witch. Cool it with a baboon's blood,
  Then the charm is firm and good. 1585

[Enter HECATE to the other three Witches]

• Hecate. O well done! I commend your pains;
  And every one shall share i' the gains;
  And now about the cauldron sing,
  Live elves and fairies in a ring, 1590
  Enchanting all that you put in.

[Music and a song: 'Black spirits,' &c]

[HECATE retires]

• Second Witch. By the pricking of my thumbs,
  Something wicked this way comes. 1595
  Open, locks,
  Whoever knocks!

[Enter MACBETH]

• Macbeth. How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!
  What is't you do? 1600

• All. A deed without a name.

• Macbeth. I conjure you, by that which you profess,
  Howe'er you come to know it, answer me:
  Though you untie the winds and let them fight
  Against the churches; though the yesty waves 1605
  Confound and swallow navigation up;
  Though bladed corn be lodged and trees blown down;
  Though castles topple on their warders' heads;
  Though palaces and pyramids do slope
  Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure 1610
  Of nature's germens tumble all together,
  Even till destruction sicken; answer me
  To what I ask you.

• First Witch. Speak.

• Second Witch. Demand. 1615

• Third Witch. We'll answer.

• First Witch. Say, if thou'dst rather hear it from our mouths,
  Or from our masters?

• Macbeth. Call 'em; let me see 'em.

• First Witch. Pour in sow's blood, that hath eaten 1620
  Her nine farrow; grease that's sweaten
  From the murderer's gibbet throw
  Into the flame.

• All. Come, high or low;
  Thyself and office deftly show! 1625

[Thunder. First Apparition: an armed Head]

• Macbeth. Tell me, thou unknown power,—

• First Witch. He knows thy thought:
  Hear his speech, but say thou nought.

• First Apparition. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff; 1630
  Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.

[Descends]

• Macbeth. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks;
  Thou hast harp'd my fear aright: but one
  word more,— 1635

• First Witch. He will not be commanded: here's another,
  More potent than the first.

[Thunder. Second Apparition: A bloody Child]

• Second Apparition. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!

• Macbeth. Had I three ears, I'ld hear thee. 1640

• Second Apparition. Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn
  The power of man, for none of woman born
  Shall harm Macbeth.

[Descends]

• Macbeth. Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee? 1645
  But yet I'll make assurance double sure,
  And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live;
  That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,
  And sleep in spite of thunder.
  [Thunder. Third Apparition: a Child crowned, with a tree in his hand] 1650
  What is this
  That rises like the issue of a king,
  And wears upon his baby-brow the round
  And top of sovereignty?

• All. Listen, but speak not to't. 1655

• Third Apparition. Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care
  Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:
  Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until
  Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
  Shall come against him. 1660

[Descends]

• Macbeth. That will never be
  Who can impress the forest, bid the tree
  Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements! good!
  Rebellion's head, rise never till the wood 1665
  Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth
  Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath
  To time and mortal custom. Yet my heart
  Throbs to know one thing: tell me, if your art
  Can tell so much: shall Banquo's issue ever 1670
  Reign in this kingdom?

• All. Seek to know no more.

• Macbeth. I will be satisfied: deny me this,
  And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know.
  Why sinks that cauldron? and what noise is this? 1675

[Hautboys]

• First Witch. Show!

• Second Witch. Show!

• Third Witch. Show!

• All. Show his eyes, and grieve his heart; 1680
  Come like shadows, so depart!
  [A show of Eight Kings, the last with a glass in]
  his hand; GHOST OF BANQUO following]

• Macbeth. Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo: down!
  Thy crown does sear mine eye-balls. And thy hair, 1685
  Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first.
  A third is like the former. Filthy hags!
  Why do you show me this? A fourth! Start, eyes!
  What, will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?
  Another yet! A seventh! I'll see no more: 1690
  And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass
  Which shows me many more; and some I see
  That two-fold balls and treble scepters carry:
  Horrible sight! Now, I see, 'tis true;
  For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me, 1695
  And points at them for his.
  [Apparitions vanish]
  What, is this so?

• First Witch. Ay, sir, all this is so: but why
  Stands Macbeth thus amazedly? 1700
  Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites,
  And show the best of our delights:
  I'll charm the air to give a sound,
  While you perform your antic round:
  That this great king may kindly say, 1705
  Our duties did his welcome pay.

[Music. The witches dance and then vanish, with HECATE]

• Macbeth. Where are they? Gone? Let this pernicious hour
  Stand aye accursed in the calendar!
  Come in, without there! 1710

[Enter LENNOX]

• Lennox. What's your grace's will?

• Macbeth. Saw you the weird sisters?

• Lennox. No, my lord.

• Macbeth. Came they not by you? 1715

• Lennox. No, indeed, my lord.

• Macbeth. Infected be the air whereon they ride;
  And damn'd all those that trust them! I did hear
  The galloping of horse: who was't came by?

• Lennox. 'Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word 1720
  Macduff is fled to England.

• Macbeth. Fled to England!

• Lennox. Ay, my good lord.

• Macbeth. Time, thou anticipatest my dread exploits:
  The flighty purpose never is o'ertook 1725
  Unless the deed go with it; from this moment
  The very firstlings of my heart shall be
  The firstlings of my hand. And even now,
  To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done:
  The castle of Macduff I will surprise; 1730
  Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword
  His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
  That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool;
  This deed I'll do before this purpose cool.
  But no more sights!—Where are these gentlemen? 1735
  Come, bring me where they are.

[Exeunt]