The Tragedy of Macbeth: ACT IV , SCENE I. A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron.

The Tragedy of Macbeth: ACT IV


	Introduction

	ACT I

	ACT II

	ACT III

	ACT IV

		SCENE I. A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron.

		SCENE II. Fife. Macduff's castle.

		SCENE III. England. Before the King's palace.

	ACT V

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SCENE I. A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron.

Thunder. Enter the three Witches

First Witch

Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.

Second Witch

Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.

Third Witch

Harpier cries 'Tis time, 'tis time.

First Witch

      Round about the cauldron go;
5     In the poison'd entrails throw.
      Toad, that under cold stone
      Days and nights has thirty-one
      Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
      Boil thou first i' the charmed pot.

ALL

10 Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Second Witch

      Fillet of a fenny snake,
      In the cauldron boil and bake;
      Eye of newt and toe of frog,
15    Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
      Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
      Lizard's leg and owlet's wing,
      For a charm of powerful trouble,
      Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

ALL

20 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,
25    Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark,
      Liver of blaspheming Jew,
      Gall of goat, and slips of yew
      Silver'd in the moon's eclipse,
      Nose of Turk and Tartar's lips,
30    Finger of birth-strangled babe
      Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,
      Make the gruel thick and slab:
      Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
      For the ingredients of our cauldron.

ALL

35 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;
40    And every one shall share i' the gains;
      And now about the cauldron sing,
      Live elves and fairies in a ring,
      Enchanting all that you put in.

Music and a song: 'Black spirits,' &c

HECATE retires

Second Witch

      By the pricking of my thumbs,
45    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

50 A deed without a name.

MACBETH

      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 yesty waves
55    Confound and swallow navigation up;
      Though 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
60    Of nature's germens tumble all together,
      Even till destruction sicken; answer me
      To what I ask you.

First Witch

Speak.

Second Witch

Demand.

Third Witch

65 We'll answer.

First Witch

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
70    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!

Thunder. First Apparition: an armed Head

MACBETH

75 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.

Descends

MACBETH

80    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

85 Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!

MACBETH

Had I three ears, I'ld hear thee.

Second Apparition

      Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn
      The power of man, for none of woman born
      Shall harm Macbeth.

Descends

MACBETH

90    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

95    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 Apparition

100   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
      Shall come against him.

Descends

MACBETH

105   That will never be
      Who can impress the forest, bid the tree
      Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements! good!
      Rebellion's head, rise never till the wood
      Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth
110   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
      Can tell so much: shall Banquo's issue ever
      Reign in this kingdom?

ALL

115 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!

Second Witch

120 Show!

Third Witch

Show!

ALL

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; GHOST OF BANQUO following

MACBETH

      Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo: down!
125   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?
130   Another 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 two-fold balls and treble scepters carry:
      Horrible sight! Now, I see, 'tis true;
135   For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me,
      And points at them for his.

Apparitions vanish

What, is this so?

First Witch

      Ay, sir, all this is so: but why
      Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?
140   Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites,
      And 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,
145   Our duties did his welcome pay.

Music. The witches dance and then vanish, with HECATE

MACBETH

      Where are they? Gone? Let this pernicious hour
      Stand aye accursed in the calendar!
      Come in, without there!

Enter LENNOX

LENNOX

What's your grace's will?

MACBETH

150 Saw you the weird sisters?

LENNOX

No, my lord.

MACBETH

Came they not by you?

LENNOX

No, indeed, my lord.

MACBETH

      Infected be the air whereon they ride;
155   And damn'd all those that trust them! I did hear
      The galloping of horse: who was't came by?

LENNOX

'Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word
Macduff is fled to England.

MACBETH

Fled to England!

LENNOX

160 Ay, my good lord.

MACBETH

      Time, thou anticipatest my dread exploits:
      The flighty purpose never is o'ertook
      Unless the deed go with it; from this moment
      The very firstlings of my heart shall be
165   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 the edge o' the sword
      His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
170   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

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