| ACT IV SCENE I | 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. | |
| First Witch | Round about the cauldron go; | 5 |
| | In the poison'd entrails throw. | |
| | Toad, that under cold stone | |
| | Days and nights has thirty-one | |
| | Swelter'd venom sleeping got, | |
| | Boil thou first i' the charmed pot. | 10 |
| ALL | Double, double toil and trouble; | |
| | Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. | |
| Second Witch | Fillet of a fenny snake, | |
| | In the cauldron boil and bake; | |
| | Eye of newt and toe of frog, | 15 |
| | 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. | 20 |
| ALL | Double, double toil and trouble; | |
| | Fire burn and cauldron bubble. | |
| Third Witch | Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf, | |
| | Witches' mummy, maw and gulf | |
| | Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark, | 25 |
| | 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, | |
| | Nose of Turk and Tartar's lips, | 30 |
| | Finger of birth-strangled babe | |
| | Ditch-deliver'd by a drab, | |
| | Make the gruel thick and slab: | |
| | Add thereto a tiger's chaudron, | |
| | For the ingredients of our cauldron. | 35 |
| 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. | |
| | Enter HECATE to the other three Witches | |
| HECATE | O well done! I commend your pains; | 40 |
| | And every one shall share i' the gains; | |
| | And now about the cauldron sing, | |
| | Live elves and fairies in a ring, | |
| | Enchanting all that you put in. | |
| | Music and a song: 'Black spirits,' &c | |
| | HECATE retires | |
| Second Witch | By the pricking of my thumbs, | 45 |
| | Something wicked this way comes. | |
| | Open, locks, | |
| | Whoever knocks! | |
| | Enter MACBETH | |
| MACBETH | How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags! | |
| | What is't you do? | 50 |
| 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 | 55 |
| | 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 | 60 |
| | Of nature's germens tumble all together, | |
| | Even till destruction sicken; answer me | |
| | To what I ask you. | |
| First Witch | Speak. | |
| Second Witch | Demand. | 65 |
| 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 | 70 |
| | 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! | 75 |
| | 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; | |
| | Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough. | 80 |
| | Descends | |
| MACBETH | Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks; | |
| | Thou hast harp'd my fear aright: but one | |
| | word more,-- | |
| First Witch | He will not be commanded: here's another, | |
| | More potent than the first. | 85 |
| | Thunder. Second Apparition: A bloody Child | |
| Second Apparition | Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! | |
| MACBETH | Had I three ears, I'ld hear thee. | |
| Second Apparition | Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn | |
| | The power of man, for none of woman born | |
| | Shall harm Macbeth. | 90 |
| | Descends | |
| MACBETH | Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee? | |
| | 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. | 95 |
| | Thunder. Third Apparition: a Child crowned,with a tree in his hand | |
| | 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. | 100 |
| 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. | 105 |
| | 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 | |
| | Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth | 110 |
| | 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 | |
| | Reign in this kingdom? | 115 |
| 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? | |
| | Hautboys | |
| First Witch | Show! | 120 |
| Second Witch | Show! | |
| Third Witch | Show! | |
| ALL | Show his eyes, and grieve his heart; | |
| | Come like shadows, so depart! | |
| | A show of Eight Kings, the last with a glass inhis hand; GHOST OF BANQUO following | |
| MACBETH | Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo: down! | 125 |
| | Thy crown does sear mine eye-balls. And thy hair, | |
| | 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? | 130 |
| | Another yet! A seventh! I'll see no more: | |
| | 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; | 135 |
| | For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me, | |
| | 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? | 140 |
| | 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, | 145 |
| | 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! | |
| | Enter LENNOX | |
| LENNOX | What's your grace's will? | 150 |
| MACBETH | Saw you the weird sisters? | |
| LENNOX | No, my lord. | |
| MACBETH | Came they not by you? | |
| LENNOX | No, indeed, my lord. | |
| MACBETH | Infected be the air whereon they ride; | 155 |
| | 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 | |
| | Macduff is fled to England. | |
| MACBETH | Fled to England! | 160 |
| LENNOX | Ay, my good lord. | |
| MACBETH | Time, thou anticipatest my dread exploits: | |
| | The flighty purpose never is o'ertook | |
| | Unless the deed go with it; from this moment | |
| | The very firstlings of my heart shall be | 165 |
| | 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; | |
| | Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword | |
| | His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls | 170 |
| | 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? | |
| | Come, bring me where they are. | |
| | Exeunt | |