Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Anthony Dawson
Not Peer Reviewed

Modern (Modern)

Thunder. Enter the three Witches.
1 Witch
Thrice the brinded cat hath mewed.
2 Witch
Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.
15303 Witch
Harpier cries, "'Tis time, 'tis time."
1 Witch
Round about the cauldron go,
In the poisoned entrails throw.
Toad that under cold stone
Days and nights has thirty-one
1535Sweltered venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i'th' charmèd pot.
Double, double, toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
2 Witch
Fillet of a fenny snake
1540In the cauldron boil and bake,
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,
1545For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth, boil and bubble.
Double, double, toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
3 Witch
Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
1550Witch's mummy, maw and gulf
Of the ravined salt-sea shark,
Root of hemlock digged i'th' dark,
Liver of blaspheming Jew,
Gall of goat and slips of yew
1555Slivered in the moon's eclipse,
Nose of Turk and Tartar's lips,
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Ditch-delivered by a drab,
Make the gruel thick and slab.
1560Add thereto a tiger's chawdron
For th'ingredience of our cauldron.
Double, double, toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
2 Witch
Cool it with a baboon's blood,
1565Then the charm is firm and good.
Enter Hecate and [three other] Witches.
Hecate
Oh, well done! I commend your pains,
And everyone shall share i'th' gains.
And now about the cauldron sing
1570Like elves and fairies in a ring,
Enchanting all that you put in.
Music and a song. "Black spirits," etc.
[Exeunt Hecate and the three other Witches.]
2 Witch
By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes;
1575Open locks, whoever knocks.
Enter Macbeth.
Macbeth
How now, you secret, black and midnight hags?
What is't you do?
All
A deed without a name.
1580Macbeth
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 waves
Confound and swallow navigation up,
1585Though 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
Of nature's germen tumble altogether
1590Even till destruction sicken, answer me
To what I ask you.
1 Witch
Speak.
2 Witch
Demand.
3 Witch
We'll answer.
15951 Witch
Say if thou'dst rather hear it from our mouths
Or from our masters'.
Macbeth
Call 'em; let me see 'em.
1 Witch
Pour in sow's blood, that hath eaten
Her nine farrow; grease that's sweaten
1600From the murderer's gibbet, throw
Into the flame.
All
Come high or low,
Thyself and office deftly show.
Thunder. 1 Apparition: an armed head.
1605Macbeth
Tell me, thou unknown power--
1 Witch
He knows thy thought;
Hear his speech, but say thou nought.
1 Apparition
Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, beware Macduff,
1610Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.
Descends.
Macbeth
Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks;
Thou hast harped my fear aright. But one word more--
1 Witch
He will not be commanded. Here's another
1615More potent than the first.
Thunder. 2 Apparition: a bloody child.
2 Apparition
Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth.
Macbeth
Had I three ears, I'd hear thee.
2 Apparition
Be bloody, bold and resolute; 1620laugh 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?
But yet I'll make assurance double sure
1625And 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 3 Apparition: a child crowned, with a tree in his hand.
What is this that rises like the issue of a king
1630And wears upon his baby-brow the round
And top of sovereignty?
All
Listen, but speak not to't.
3 Apparition
Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care
Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:
1635Macbeth shall never vanquished be until
Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
Shall come against him.
Descends.
Macbeth
That will never be.
Who can impress the forest, bid the tree
1640Unfix his earth-bound 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 heart
1645Throbs 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,
1650And an eternal curse fall on you. Let me know.
[Cauldron descends.] Hautboys.
Why sinks that cauldron? And what noise is this?
1 Witch
Show.
2 Witch
Show.
3 Witch
Show.
Show his eyes and grieve his heart,
Come like shadows, so depart.
A show of eight kings, [the] last with a glass in his hand; [Banquo's ghost following].
Macbeth
Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo--down!
1660Thy 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!
What, will the line stretch out to th'crack of doom?
1665Another 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 twofold balls and treble scepters carry.
Horrible sight! Now I see 'tis true,
1670For the blood-boltered Banquo smiles upon me
And points at them for his. What, is this so?
[Apparitions and Banquo's ghost vanish.]
1 Witch
Ay, sir, all this is so. But why
Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?
Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites
1675And 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,
Our duties did his welcome pay.
Music. 1680The 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.
1685Lennox
What's your grace's will?
Macbeth
Saw you the weird sisters?
Lennox
No, my lord.
Macbeth
Came they not by you?
Lennox
No indeed, my lord.
1690Macbeth
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?
'Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word
Macduff is fled to England.
1695Macbeth
Fled to England?
Ay, my good lord.
Macbeth
[Aside] Time, thou anticipat'st my dread exploits;
The flighty purpose never is o'ertook
Unless the deed go with it. From this moment,
1700The 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;
Seize upon Fife; give to th'edge o'th' sword
1705His 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?
Come, bring me where they are.
Exeunt.