SCENE 1: A CAVERN. IN THE MIDDLE, A BOILING CAULDRON.

[Thunder. Enter the three Witches]

FIRST WITCH

Thrice the brinded cat hath mewed.

Three times the tabby cat meowed.

SECOND WITCH

Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.

Three times and once the hedgehog whined.

THIRD WITCH

Harpier cries 'Tis time, 'tis time.

The spirit Harpier cries, “It’s time.”

FIRST WITCH

Round about the cauldron go;

All gather round the cauldron, go;

In the poisoned entrails throw.

And in it, poisoned entrails throw.

Toad, that under cold stone

This toad that’s been under a stone

Days and nights has thirty-one

As days and nights pass, thirty-one,

Sweltered venom sleeping got,

Has slept and sweaty poison got

Boil thou first i' the charmed pot.

Which we’ll boil first within our pot.

ALL

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

SECOND WITCH

Fillet of a fenny snake,

Fillet of a water snake

In the cauldron boil and bake;

Eye of newt and toe of frog,

Wool of bat and tongue of dog,

Wool of bat and tongue of dog

Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,

Adder’s tongue and blindworm’s sting,

Lizard's leg and owlet's wing,

Lizard’s leg and owlet’s wing,

For a charm of powerful trouble,

To make a potion causing trouble,

Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

A hellish soup of boil and bubble.

ALL

Double, double toil and trouble;

Double, double toil and trouble

Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

THIRD WITCH

Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,

Witches' mummy, maw and gulf

Mummified witch, and throat and gulf

Of the ravined salt-sea shark,

From a ravenous ocean shark

Root of hemlock digged i' the dark,

A hemlock’s root, dug in the dark

Liver of blaspheming Jew,

Gall of goat, and slips of yew

Gall of goat, and twigs of yew

Silvered in the moon's eclipse,

Silvered in the moon’s eclipse,

Nose of Turk and Tartar's lips,

Nose of Turk and Mongol’s lips,

Finger of birth-strangled babe

Baby’s finger from womb tore,

Ditch-delivered by a drab,

Ditch-delivered by a whore,

Make the gruel thick and slab:

Make the gruel think to pour:

Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,

Then add to this a tiger’s gut

For the ingredients of our cauldron.

All mixed together in our pot.

ALL

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

SECOND WITCH

Cool it with a baboon's blood,

Cool it with a baboon’s blood,

Then the charm is firm and good.

Then the potion’s firm and good.

[Enter HECATE to the other three Witches]

HECATE

O well done! I commend your pains;

Oh, well done! I admire your works

And every one shall share i' the gains;

And each of us can share the perks;

And now about the cauldron sing,

Let’s stand around the pot to sing,

Live elves and fairies in a ring,

With elves and fairies in a ring

Enchanting all that you put in.

[Music and a song: 'Black spirits,' ETc]

[HECATE retires]

SECOND WITCH

By the pricking of my thumbs,

By the pain within my thumbs

Something wicked this way comes.

I sense that something wicked comes.

Open, locks,

Doors: open locks,

Whoever knocks!

[Enter MACBETH]

MACBETH

How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!

What’s going on, you secretive old hags!

What is't you do?

What have you done?

ALL

A deed without a name.

MACBETH

I conjure you, by that which you profess,

I solemnly command, of what you claim,

Howe'er you come to know it, answer me:

However you have come to know it, tell me.

Though you untie the winds and let them fight

And even if you unleash winds to batter

Against the churches; though the yesty waves

The churches; or whip up the frothy seas

Confound and swallow navigation up;

To overwhelm and sink the ocean’s ships;

Though bladed corn be lodged and trees blown down;

Or flatten ripened corn and blow the trees down;

Though castles topple on their warders' heads;

Or topple castles on their wardens’ heads;

Though palaces and pyramids do slope

Or palaces and pyramids all topple

Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure

And crash to their foundations; or if gems

Of nature's germens tumble all together,

Of seeds of nature coalesce together

Even till destruction sicken; answer me

Till forces of destruction wane; then tell me

To what I ask you.

What I am asking you.

FIRST WITCH

Speak.

SECOND WITCH

Demand.

THIRD WITCH

We'll answer.

We’ll answer.

FIRST WITCH

Say, if thou'dst rather hear it from our mouths,

Tell us if you would rather hear it from us

Or from our masters?

Or from our master’s mouth?

MACBETH

Call 'em; let me see 'em.

Call them; I’ll see them.

FIRST WITCH

Pour in sow's blood, that hath eaten

Add to the pot the sow’s blood, that has eaten

Her nine farrow; grease that's sweaten

Her nine litter; take fat that’s dripped from a hanging

From the murderer's gibbet throw

Murderer on the gallows, and then throw it

Into the flame.

Into the boiling pot.

ALL

Come, high or low;

Come spirits, bad and good

Thyself and office deftly show!

Make you and what you do be understood!

[Thunder. First Apparition: an armed Head]

MACBETH

Tell me, thou unknown power,--

Tell me, you unknown force…

FIRST WITCH

He knows thy thought:

He reads your mind:

Hear his speech, but say thou nought.

Let’s hear him speak, but don’t say anything.

FIRST APPARITION

Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff;

Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.

Beware the thane of Fife. Release me. Enough.

[Descends]

MACBETH

Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks;

Whatever you are, for this warning, thanks;

Thou hast harped my fear aright: but one word more,--

You’ve said just what I’ve feared: but one more thing…

FIRST WITCH

He will not be commanded: here's another,

You can’t give orders to him; 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'ld hear thee.

I’d listen with three ears if I had them.

SECOND APPARITION

Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn

Be violent, bold and strong; laugh in the face

The power of man, for none of woman born

Of powerful men, for none born by a woman

Shall harm Macbeth.

Will harm Macbeth.

[Descends]

MACBETH

Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?

Then you can live, Macduff: why should I fear you?

But yet I'll make assurance double sure,

But still I will take action to be certain

And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live;

And guarantee my fate: Macduff must die;

That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,

Then I can tell my fear that it’s not real,

And sleep in spite of thunder.

And soundly sleep through thunder.

[Thunder. Third Apparition: a Child crowned, with a tree in his hand]

What is this

That rises like the issue of a king,

Appearing like the offspring of a king,

And wears upon his baby-brow the round

And wearing on his baby-head, the crown

And top of sovereignty?

That marks his sovereignty?

ALL

Listen, but speak not to't.

Listen, but don’t speak.

THIRD APPARITION

Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care

Be proud and lionhearted; and don’t care

Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:

Who gets annoyed, or where your foes are living:

Macbeth shall never vanquished be until

Macbeth will not be trounced and overthrown till

Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill

Great Birnam wood has come to Dunsinane hill

Shall come against him.

To fight against him.

[Descends]

MACBETH

That will never be

That can never happen,

Who can impress the forest, bid the tree

For who can tell the forest, ask the trees to

Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements! Good!

Unroot themselves? Sweet premonitions! Good!

Rebellious dead, rise never till the wood

Dead enemies won’t rise until the wood

Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth

Of Birnam rises, and this King Macbeth

Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath

Shall live out all his days, and take each breath

To time and mortal custom. Yet my heart

That time and natural life provide. Yet my heart

Throbs to know one thing: tell me, if your art

Yearns to know one thing: tell me, if your powers

Can tell so much: shall Banquo's issue ever

Can tell as much: will Banquo’s children ever

Reign in this kingdom?

ALL

Seek to know no more.

Do not seek to know more.

MACBETH

I will be satisfied: deny me this,

I won’t mind what you tell me: but deny me,

And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know.

Then you’ll be cursed eternally! Let me know.

Why sinks that cauldron? And what noise is this?

Why does the cauldron sink? And what’s that noise?

[Hautboys]

FIRST WITCH

Show!

SECOND WITCH

Show!

THIRD WITCH

Show!

ALL

Show his eyes, and grieve his heart;

Show these to him and make him grieve;

Come like shadows, so depart!

Like ghosts they come, and then they leave!

[A show of Eight Kings, the last with a glass in his hand; GHOST OF BANQUO following]

MACBETH

Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo: down!

You look just like the ghost of Banquo: leave!

Thy crown does sear mine eye-balls. And thy hair,

Your crown does sting my eyes. And your hair,

Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first.

Much like another crown, matches the first king’s.

A third is like the former. Filthy hags!

The third king’s like the second. Filthy hags!

Why do you show me this? A fourth! Start, eyes!

Why do you show me this? A fourth! Pop out, eyes!

What, will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?

What, will this line of kings stretch out forever?

Another yet! A seventh! I'll see no more:

Another one! A seventh! I can’t look now;

And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass

And yet the eighth king comes, holding a mirror

Which shows me many more; and some I see

Which shows me many more; and some are holding

That two-fold balls and treble scepters carry:

Two orbs, as Scotland’s and as England’s king:

Horrible sight! Now, I see, 'tis true;

An awful sight! Now I can see it’s true,

For the blood-boltered Banquo smiles upon me,

As Banquo, caked in blood, is smiling at me,

And points at them for his.

And points these kings descend from him.

[Apparitions vanish]

What, is this so?

Is this true?

FIRST WITCH

Ay, sir, all this is so: but why

Yes, sir, all this is true, but why

Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?

Do you, Macbeth, amazed, stand by?

Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites,

Come, sisters, let’s all bring him cheer

And show the best of our delights:

And make our best skills reappear:

I'll charm the air to give a sound,

I’ll charm the air to make a sound

While you perform your antic round:

While you three all can dance around;

That this great king may kindly say,

Then this great king may kindly say,

Our duties did his welcome pay.

His welcome we three did repay.

[Music. The witches dance and then vanish, with HECATE]

MACBETH

Where are they? Gone? Let this pernicious hour

Where are they? Gone? Let this abhorrent time

Stand aye accursed in the calendar!

Be marked out in the calendar as cursed!

Come in, without there!

Come inside, you out there!

[Enter LENNOX]

LENNOX

What's your grace's will?

What do you want, sir?

MACBETH

Saw you the weird sisters?

Did you observe the weird sisters?

LENNOX

No, my lord.

No, sir.

MACBETH

Came they not by you?

Did they not come by here?

LENNOX

No, indeed, my lord.

No, sir, they didn’t.

MACBETH

Infected be the air whereon they ride;

The very air around them is infected;

And damned all those that trust them! I did hear

And damned be those that trust them! I did hear

The galloping of horse: who was't came by?

The galloping of horses: who came by?

LENNOX

'Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word

It’s two or three, my lord, that came to tell you

Macduff is fled to England.

Macduff has fled to England.

MACBETH

Fled to England!

LENNOX

Ay, my good lord.

Yes, my good lord.

MACBETH

Time, thou anticipatest my dread exploits:

Time, you forestall the awful acts I’m planning:

The flighty purpose never is o'ertook

Ambitious plans are never undertaken

Unless the deed go with it; from this moment

Unless done right away; from this time on

The very firstlings of my heart shall be

The first things that I think will become

The firstlings of my hand. And even now,

The first things that I do. And right away,

To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done:

To turn my thoughts to action – think it! do it! –

The castle of Macduff I will surprise;

I’ll go to Macduff’s castle to surprise them;

Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword

I’ll seize the town of Fife; and thrust my sword in

His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls

His wife, his children, and all those unlucky

That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool;

Enough to be descendants. Stop this chatter:

This deed I'll do before this purpose cool.

I’ll do these acts before my passions shatter.

But no more sights!--Where are these gentlemen?

But no more apparitions! Where are these men?

Come, bring me where they are.

Come, take me now to them.

[Exeunt]