Thunder. Enter the three Witches.FIRST WITCH Thrice the brinded cat hath mewed.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 poisoned entrails throw. Toad, that under cold stone Days and nights has thirty-one Sweltered venom sleeping got, Boil thou first i’ th’ charmèd pot.⌜The Witches circle the cauldron.⌝ALL 10 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 blindworm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg and howlet’s wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.ALL 20 Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.THIRD WITCH Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf, Witch’s mummy, maw and gulf Of the ravined salt-sea shark,25 Root of hemlock digged i’ th’ dark, Liver of blaspheming Jew, Gall of goat and slips of yew Slivered in the moon’s eclipse, Nose of Turk and Tartar’s lips,30 Finger of birth-strangled babe Ditch-delivered by a drab, Make the gruel thick and slab. Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron For th’ ingredience of our cauldron.ALL 35 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 everyone shall share i’ th’ gains. And now about the cauldron sing Like elves and fairies in a ring, Enchanting all that you put in.Music and a song: “Black Spirits,” etc. ⌜Hecate exits.⌝
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?ALL 50 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 yeasty waves55 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 slope60 Their heads to their foundations, though the treasure Of nature’s ⌜germens⌝ tumble ⌜all together⌝ Even till destruction sicken, answer me To what I ask you.FIRST WITCH 65 Speak.SECOND WITCH Demand.THIRD WITCH We’ll answer.FIRST WITCH Say if th’ hadst rather hear it from our mouths Or from our masters’.MACBETH 70 Call ’em. Let me see ’em.FIRST WITCH Pour in sow’s blood that hath eaten Her nine farrow; grease that’s sweaten
From the murderers’ gibbet throw Into the flame.ALL 75 Come high or low; Thyself and office deftly show.Thunder. First Apparition, an Armed Head.MACBETH Tell me, thou unknown power—FIRST WITCH He knows thy thought.80 Hear his speech but say thou naught.FIRST APPARITION Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff! Beware the Thane of Fife! Dismiss me. Enough.He descends.MACBETH Whate’er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks. Thou hast harped my fear aright. But one word85 more—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’d hear thee.SECOND APPARITION 90 Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth.⌜He⌝ descends.MACBETH Then live, Macduff; what need I fear of thee? But yet I’ll make assurance double sure95 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. What is this That rises like the issue of a king100 And wears upon his baby brow the round And top of sovereignty?ALL Listen but speak not to ’t.THIRD APPARITION Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are.105 Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him.⌜He⌝ descends.MACBETH That will never be. Who can impress the forest, bid the tree110 Unfix his earthbound root? Sweet bodements, good! Rebellious dead, rise never till the Wood Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath To time and mortal custom. Yet my heart115 Throbs to know one thing. Tell me, if your art Can tell so much: shall Banquo’s issue ever Reign in this kingdom?ALL Seek to know no more.MACBETH I will be satisfied. Deny me this,120 And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know!⌜Cauldron sinks.⌝ Hautboys. Why sinks that cauldron? And what noise is this?FIRST WITCH Show.SECOND WITCH Show.THIRD WITCH Show.ALL 125 Show his eyes and grieve his heart. Come like shadows; so depart.
A show of eight kings, ⌜the eighth king⌝ with a glass in
his hand, and Banquo last.MACBETH Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo. Down! Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs. And thy hair, Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first.130 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 th’ crack of doom? Another yet? A seventh? I’ll see no more. And yet the eighth appears who bears a glass135 Which shows me many more, and some I see That twofold balls and treble scepters carry. Horrible sight! Now I see ’tis true, For the blood-boltered Banquo smiles upon me And points at them for his.⌜The Apparitions disappear.⌝140 What, is this so?FIRST WITCH Ay, sir, all this is so. But why Stands Macbeth thus amazedly? Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites And show the best of our delights.145 I’ll charm the air to give a sound While you perform your antic round, That this great king may kindly say Our duties did his welcome pay.Music. The Witches dance and vanish.MACBETH Where are they? Gone? Let this pernicious hour150 Stand aye accursèd in the calendar!— Come in, without there.Enter Lennox.LENNOX What’s your Grace’s will?
MACBETH Saw you the Weïrd Sisters?LENNOX No, my lord.MACBETH 155 Came they not by you?LENNOX No, indeed, my lord.MACBETH Infected be the air whereon they ride, And damned all those that trust them! I did hear The galloping of horse. Who was ’t came by?LENNOX 160 ’Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word Macduff is fled to England.MACBETH Fled to England?LENNOX Ay, my good lord.MACBETH, ⌜aside⌝ Time, thou anticipat’st my dread exploits.165 The flighty purpose never is o’ertook 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 and170 done: The castle of Macduff I will surprise, Seize upon Fife, give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool;175 This deed I’ll do before this purpose cool. But no more sights!—Where are these gentlemen? Come bring me where they are.They exit.
