10 SCENE I. A cavern. Thunder. First Witch. Second Witch. Third Witch. ACT IV. In the middle, a boiling cauldron. Enter the three Witches. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd. Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined. Harpier cries "'Tis time, 'tis time.' First Witch. Round about the cauldron go; In the poison'd entrails throw. Toad, that under cold stone Days and nights has thirty one All. Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble. Second Witch. Fillet of a fenny snake, 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, Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark, Gall of goat, and slips of yew t 35 20 Add thereto a tiger's chaudron, For the ingredients of our cauldron. 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; And every one shall share i' the gains: And now about the cauldron sing, Like elves and fairies in a ring, Enchanting all that you put in. 40 [Music and a song: 'Black spirits,' &c. Hecate retires. Second Witch. By the pricking of my thumbs, 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. A deed without a name. Macbeth. I conjure you, by that which you profess, 50 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 Confound and swallow navigation up; Though bladed corn be lodged and trees blown down; Though palaces and pyramids do slope Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure Even till destruction sicken; answer me To what I ask you. 60 First Witch. Second Witch. Third Witch. Speak. Demand. We'll answer. First W. 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 Her nine farrow; grease that's sweaten From the murderer's gibbet throw Thyself and office deftly show! Thunder. First Apparition: an armed Head. Macbeth. Tell me, thou unknown power,— He knows thy thought: Hear his speech, but say thou nought. 70 First App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff; Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me: enough. [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. Thunder. Second Apparition: a bloody Child. Second Apparition. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Second App. Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh 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, 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 king, And wears upon his baby-brow the round And top of sovereignty? All. Listen, but speak not to 't. Third App. 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 Macbeth. 91 [Descends. That will never be: Who can impress the forest, bid the tree Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements! good! Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth All. Seek to know no more. Macbeth. I will be satisfied: deny me this, All. Show his eyes, and grieve his heart; Come like shadows, so depart! 100 [Hautboys. 110 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! 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? 120 [Apparitions vanish. 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, 130 [Music. The Witches dance, and then vanish, with Hecate. Macbeth. Where are they? Gone? Let this pernicious hour Stand aye accursed in the calendar! Macbeth. Infected be the air whereon they ride; And damn'd all those that trust them! I did hear The galloping of horse: who was 't came by? 140 Lennox. 'Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word Macduff is fled to England. Macbeth. Lennox. Ay, my good lord. Fled to England! E |