The gracious Duncan
Was pitied of Macbeth. Marry, he was dead.
And the right valiant Banquo walked too late;
Whom, you may say, if’t please you, Fleance killed,
For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late.
Who cannot want the thought how monstrous8
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain
To kill their gracious father? Damnèd fact,10
How it did grieve Macbeth! Did he not straight,
In pious rage, the two delinquents tear
That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?13
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too,
For ’twould have angered any heart alive
To hear the men deny’t. So that I say
He has borne all things well; and I do think17
That, had he Duncan’s sons under his key–
As, an’t please heaven, he shall not–they should find19
What ’twere to kill a father. So should Fleance.20
But peace; for from broad words, and ’cause he failed21
His presence at the tyrant’s feast, I hear
Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?
LORD The son of Duncan,
25 From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
Lives in the English court, and is received
Of the most pious Edward with such grace
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
29 Takes from his high respect. Thither Macduff
30 Is gone to pray the holy king upon his aid
31 To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward;
That by the help of these (with Him above
To ratify the work) we may again
Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights,
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives,
36 Do faithful homage and receive free honors–
All which we pine for now. And this report
Hath so exasperate the king that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.
40LENNOX Sent he to Macduff?
LORD
He did; and with an absolute “Sir, not I,”
42 The cloudy messenger turns me his back
And hums, as who should say, “You’ll rue the time
44 That clogs me with this answer.”
LENNOX And that well might
45 Advise him to a caution t’ hold what distance
His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel
Fly to the court of England and unfold
His message ere he come, that a swift blessing
May soon return to this our suffering country
50 Under a hand accursed.
LORD I’ll send my prayers with him.
Exeunt.
IV.1Thunder. Enter the three Witches.
FIRST WITCH
Thrice the brindled cat hath mewed.1
SECOND WITCH
Thrice, and once the hedgepig whined.
THIRD WITCH
Harpier cries–’Tis time, ’tis time!3
FIRST WITCH
Round about the cauldron go;
In the poisoned entrails throw.
Toad, that under cold stone
Days and nights has thirty-one
Sweltered venom sleeping got,8
Boil thou first i’ th’ charmèd pot.
ALL
Double, double toil and trouble,10
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
SECOND WITCH
Fillet of a fenny snake,12
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork, and blindworm’s sting,16
Lizard’s leg, and owlet’s wing–
For a charm of powerful trouble
Like a hellbroth boil and bubble.
ALL
Double, double toil and trouble,20
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
THIRD WITCH
Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
23 Witch’s mummy, maw and gulf
24 Of the ravined salt-sea shark,
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
31 Ditch-delivered by a drab
32 Make the gruel thick and slab.
33 Add thereto a tiger’s chawdron
For th’ ingredience of our cauldron.
ALL
Double, double toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
SECOND WITCH
Cool it with a baboon’s blood,
38 Then the charm is firm and good.
Enter Hecate and the other three Witches.
HECATE
O, well done! I commend your pains,
40 And every one 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.
HECATE
Black spirits and white,
Red spirits and gray
46 Mingle, mingle, mingle,
You that mingle may.
FOURTH WITCH
Tiffin, Tiffin,
Keep it stiff in.
FIFTH WITCH
Firedrake Pucky,50
Make it lucky.
HECATE
Liar Robin,
You must bob in.
CHORUS
Around, around, around, about, about,
All ill come running in, all good keep out.
FOURTH WITCH
Here’s the blood of a bat.
HECATE
O put in that, put in that.
FIFTH WITCH
Here’s lizard’s brain.
HECATE
Put in a grain.
FOURTH WITCH
Here’s juice of toad, here’s oil of adder,60
That will make the charm grow madder.
FIFTH WITCH
Put in all these, ’twill raise the stench.
HECATE
Nay, here’s three ounces of a red-haired wench.
CHORUS
Around, around, around, about, about,
All ill come running in, all good keep out.
[Exeunt Hecate and the three Singers.]
SECOND WITCH
By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.
Open locks,
Whoever knocks!
Enter Macbeth.
MACBETH
70 How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags,
What is’t you do?
ALL A deed without a name.
MACBETH
72 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
75 Against the churches, though the yeasty waves
Confound and swallow navigation up,
77 Though bladed corn be lodged and trees blown down,
Though castles topple on their warders’ heads,
79 Though palaces and pyramids do slope
80 Their heads to their foundations, though the treasure
81 Of Nature’s germens tumble all together
82 Even till destruction sicken, answer me
To what I ask you.
FIRST WITCH Speak.
SECOND WITCH Demand.
THIRD WITCH We’ll answer.
FIRST WITCH
Say if thou’dst rather hear it from our mouths
85 Or from our masters.
MACBETH Call ’em. Let me see ’em.
FIRST WITCH
Pour in sow’s blood, that hath eaten
87 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.90
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.
He descends.
MACBETH
Whate’er thou art, for thy good caution thanks:
Thou hast harped my fear aright. But one word more–96
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.100
SECOND APPARITION
Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn
The pow’r of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.
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,106
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 king
110 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.
Macbeth shall never vanquished be until
Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill
Shall come against him. Descends.
MACBETH That will never be.
117 Who can impress the forest, bid the tree
118 Unfix his earthbound root? Sweet bodements, good.
Rebellious dead rise never till the Wood
120 Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth
121 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
124 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,
And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know.
Why sinks that cauldron? and what noise is this?
Hautboys.
FIRST WITCH Show!
130 SECOND WITCH Show!
THIRD WITCH Show!
ALL
Show his eyes, and grieve his heart,
Come like shadows, so depart.133
A show of eight Kings and Banquo, last [King ] with a
glass in his hand.
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.
A third is like the former. Filthy hags,
Why do you show me this? A fourth? Start, eyes!138
What, will the line stretch out to th’ crack of doom?
Another yet? A seventh? I’ll see no more.140
And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass
Which shows me many more; and some I see
That twofold balls and treble scepters carry.143
Horrible sight! Now I see ’tis true;
For the blood-boltered Banquo smiles upon me145
And points at them for his. What? Is this so?
[Exeunt apparitions.]
FIRST WITCH
Ay, sir, all this is so. But why147
Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?
Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites149
And show the best of our delights.150
I’ll charm the air to give a sound
While you perform your antic round,152
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 hour
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
Came they not by you?
LENNOX No indeed, my lord.
MACBETH
160 Infected be the air whereon they ride,
And damned all those that trust them! I did hear
The galloping of horse.
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