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Home > Macbeth > ACT IV - SCENE I. A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron.

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ACT IV - SCENE I. A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron.
Thunder. Enter the three Witches

First Witch
1    Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
Second Witch
2    Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.
Third Witch
3    Harpier cries 'Tis time, 'tis time.
First Witch
4    Round about the cauldron go;
5    In the poison'd entrails throw.
6    Toad, that under cold stone
7    Days and nights has thirty-one
8    Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
9    Boil thou first i' the charmed pot.
ALL
10   Double, double toil and trouble;
11   Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
Second Witch
12   Fillet of a fenny snake,
13   In the cauldron boil and bake;
14   Eye of newt and toe of frog,
15   Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
16   Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
17   Lizard's leg and owlet's wing,
18   For a charm of powerful trouble,
19   Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
ALL
20   Double, double toil and trouble;
21   Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Third Witch
22   Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
23   Witches' mummy, maw and gulf
24   Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark,
25   Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark,
26   Liver of blaspheming Jew,
27   Gall of goat, and slips of yew
28   Silver'd in the moon's eclipse,
29   Nose of Turk and Tartar's lips,
30   Finger of birth-strangled babe
31   Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,
32   Make the gruel thick and slab:
33   Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
34   For the ingredients of our cauldron.
ALL
35   Double, double toil and trouble;
36   Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Second Witch
37   Cool it with a baboon's blood,
38   Then the charm is firm and good.
Enter HECATE to the other three Witches

HECATE
39   O well done! I commend your pains;
40   And every one shall share i' the gains;
41   And now about the cauldron sing,
42   Live elves and fairies in a ring,
43   Enchanting all that you put in.
Music and a song: 'Black spirits,' &c

HECATE retires

Second Witch
44   By the pricking of my thumbs,
45   Something wicked this way comes.
46   Open, locks,
47   Whoever knocks!
Enter MACBETH

MACBETH
48   How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!
49   What is't you do?
ALL
50   A deed without a name.
MACBETH
51   I conjure you, by that which you profess,
52   Howe'er you come to know it, answer me:
53   Though you untie the winds and let them fight
54   Against the churches; though the yesty waves
55   Confound and swallow navigation up;
56   Though bladed corn be lodged and trees blown down;
57   Though castles topple on their warders' heads;
58   Though palaces and pyramids do slope
59   Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure
60   Of nature's germens tumble all together,
61   Even till destruction sicken; answer me
62   To what I ask you.
First Witch
63   Speak.
Second Witch
64   Demand.
Third Witch
65   We'll answer.
First Witch
66   Say, if thou'dst rather hear it from our mouths,
67   Or from our masters?
MACBETH
68   Call 'em; let me see 'em.
First Witch
69   Pour in sow's blood, that hath eaten
70   Her nine farrow; grease that's sweaten
71   From the murderer's gibbet throw
72   Into the flame.
ALL
73   Come, high or low;
74   Thyself and office deftly show!
Thunder. First Apparition: an armed Head

MACBETH
75   Tell me, thou unknown power,--
First Witch
76   He knows thy thought:
77   Hear his speech, but say thou nought.
First Apparition
78   Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff;
79   Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.
Descends

MACBETH
80   Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks;
81   Thou hast harp'd my fear aright: but one
82   word more,--
First Witch
83   He will not be commanded: here's another,
84   More potent than the first.
Thunder. Second Apparition: A bloody Child

Second Apparition
85   Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
MACBETH
86   Had I three ears, I'ld hear thee.
Second Apparition
87   Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn
88   The power of man, for none of woman born
89   Shall harm Macbeth.
Descends

MACBETH
90   Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?
91   But yet I'll make assurance double sure,
92   And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live;
93   That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,
94   And sleep in spite of thunder.
95   What is this
96   That rises like the issue of a king,
97   And wears upon his baby-brow the round
98   And top of sovereignty?
ALL
99   Listen, but speak not to't.
Third Apparition
100  Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care
101  Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:
102  Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until
103  Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
104  Shall come against him.
Descends

MACBETH
105  That will never be
106  Who can impress the forest, bid the tree
107  Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements! good!
108  Rebellion's head, rise never till the wood
109  Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth
110  Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath
111  To time and mortal custom. Yet my heart
112  Throbs to know one thing: tell me, if your art
113  Can tell so much: shall Banquo's issue ever
114  Reign in this kingdom?
ALL
115  Seek to know no more.
MACBETH
116  I will be satisfied: deny me this,
117  And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know.
118  Why sinks that cauldron? and what noise is this?
Hautboys

First Witch
119  Show!
Second Witch
120  Show!
Third Witch
121  Show!
ALL
122  Show his eyes, and grieve his heart;
123  Come like shadows, so depart!
MACBETH
124  Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo: down!
125  Thy crown does sear mine eye-balls. And thy hair,
126  Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first.
127  A third is like the former. Filthy hags!
128  Why do you show me this? A fourth! Start, eyes!
129  What, will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?
130  Another yet! A seventh! I'll see no more:
131  And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass
132  Which shows me many more; and some I see
133  That two-fold balls and treble scepters carry:
134  Horrible sight! Now, I see, 'tis true;
135  For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me,
136  And points at them for his.
Apparitions vanish
137  What, is this so?
First Witch
138  Ay, sir, all this is so: but why
139  Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?
140  Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites,
141  And show the best of our delights:
142  I'll charm the air to give a sound,
143  While you perform your antic round:
144  That this great king may kindly say,
145  Our duties did his welcome pay.
MACBETH
146  Where are they? Gone? Let this pernicious hour
147  Stand aye accursed in the calendar!
148  Come in, without there!
Enter LENNOX

LENNOX
149  What's your grace's will?
MACBETH
150  Saw you the weird sisters?
LENNOX
151  No, my lord.
MACBETH
152  Came they not by you?
LENNOX
153  No, indeed, my lord.
MACBETH
154  Infected be the air whereon they ride;
155  And damn'd all those that trust them! I did hear
156  The galloping of horse: who was't came by?
LENNOX
157  'Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word
158  Macduff is fled to England.
MACBETH
159  Fled to England!
LENNOX
160  Ay, my good lord.
MACBETH
161  Time, thou anticipatest my dread exploits:
162  The flighty purpose never is o'ertook
163  Unless the deed go with it; from this moment
164  The very firstlings of my heart shall be
165  The firstlings of my hand. And even now,
166  To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done:
167  The castle of Macduff I will surprise;
168  Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword
169  His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
170  That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool;
171  This deed I'll do before this purpose cool.
172  But no more sights!--Where are these gentlemen?
173  Come, bring me where they are.
Exeunt

< (Previous) ACT III, SCENE VIACT IV, II (Next) >
Scene Index
ACT I
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV
  • SCENE V
  • SCENE VI
  • SCENE VII


  • ACT II
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV


  • ACT III
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV
  • SCENE V
  • SCENE VI


  • ACT IV
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III


  • ACT V
  • SCENE I
  • SCENE II
  • SCENE III
  • SCENE IV
  • SCENE V
  • SCENE VI
  • SCENE VII
  • SCENE VIII

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