Prescanned Shakespeare.com
presented by Acoustic Learning


Macbeth

Act IV, Scene 1

A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron.
 
FIRST WITCH
         ,           ,        ,          ___
      Thrice the | brinded | cat hath | mewed.
 
SECOND WITCH
         ,            ,          T    T     T
      Thrice, and | once the | hedge-pig whined.
 
THIRD WITCH
       ,         ,           ,           ,
      Harpi|er cries,|'Tis time,| 'tis time.
 
FIRST WITCH
        ,       ,          ,        __
      Round a|bout the | cauldron | go;
       ,        ,          ,          ___
      In the | poisoned | entrails | throw
        ,           ,       ,      ___
      Toad, that | under | cold | stone,
        ,           ,            ,     ___
      Days and | nights, has | thirty-|one:
        ,          ,        ,        ___
      Sweltered | venom | sleeping | got,
        ,           ,     2        ,       ___
      Boil thou | first in the | charmed | pot.
 
ALL
       ,        ,         ,          ,
      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,
        ,        ,            ,        ___
      Wool of | bat, and | tongue of | dog:
       ,          ,           T     T      T
      Adder's | fork, and | blind-worm's sting,
       ,          ,          ,         __
      Lizard's | leg, and | owlet's | wing:
       ,        ,          x          ,
      For a | charm of | powerful | trouble,
        T  .   T    T       ,         ,
      Like a hell-broth | boil and | bubble.
 
ALL
       ,        ,         ,          ,
      Double,| double,| toil and | trouble,
       ,       ,           ,         ,
      Fire | burn, and | cauldron | bubble.
 
THIRD WITCH
        ,         ,         ,         __
      Scale of | dragon,| tooth of | wolf,
       ,         ,       ,          __
      Witches'| mummy,| maw, and | gulf
       ,        ,          T   T    T
      Of the | ravined | salt-sea shark:
       ,         ,           ,     2       __
      Root of | hemlock,| digged in the | dark:
       ,       ,       ,        ___
      Liver | of blas|pheming | Jew,
        ,         ,           ,        ___
      Gall of | goat, and | slips of | yew,
       ,          ,         ,        __
      Silvered | in the | moon's e|clipse:
        ,         ,          ,          __
      Nose of | Turk, and | Tartar's | lips:
       ,        ,          ,          __
      Finger | of birth^|strangled | babe,
        ,       ,         ,      __
      Ditch-de|livered | by a | drab,
        ,         ,        ,           __
      Make the | gruel | thick, and | slab.
       ,         ,      ,          ,
      Add there|to a | tiger's | chaudron,
       ,     2    ,   2       ,         ,
      For the in|gredients | of our | cauldron.
 
ALL
       ,        ,         ,          ,
      Double,| double,| toil and | trouble,
       ,       ,           ,         ,
      Fire | burn, and | cauldron | bubble.
 
SECOND WITCH
        ,         ,       T    T    T
      Cool it | with a | baboon's blood,
        ,          ,          ,         __
      Then the | charm is | firm and | good.
 
[Enter HECATE to the other three Witches]
 
HECATE
      T   T    T     2     ,           ,
      O well done:| I commend | your pains,
           ,      ,            ,       2      ,
      And eve|ry one | shall share | in the gains:
           ,       ,          ,         ,
      And now | about | the caul|dron sing
             ,          ,        ,       ,
      Like^elves | and fair|ies in | a ring,
          ,        ,          ,         ,
      Enchant|ing all | that you | put in.
 
[Music and a song: 'Black spirits,' etc. HECATE retires]
 
SECOND WITCH
       ,         ,         ,        __
      By the | pricking | of my | thumbs,
        ,           ,        ,         ___
      Something | wicked | this way | comes:
      ,        ,        ,        __
      Open | locks, who|ever | knocks.
 
MACBETH
           ,         ,         ,          ,          ,
      How now | you sec|ret, black,| and mid|night hags?
             x          ,
      What is it | you do?
 
ALL
                                ,         ,        ,
                            A deed | without | a name.
 
MACBETH
         ,        ,         ,           ,         ,
      I con|jure you,| by that | which you | profess,
           ,          ,         ,         ,       ,
      (Howere | you come | to know | it) ans|wer me:
         ,            ,          ,          ,           ,
      Though you | untie | the winds,| and let | them fight
          ,            ,          ,          ,       ,
      Against | the church|es: though | the yes|ty waves
           ,           ,       ,    ,       ,
      Confound | and swal|low nav|iga|tion up:
               ,       ,          ,      .    T     T     T
      Though blad|ed corn | be lodged,| and trees blown down,
               ,       ,       ,           ,         ,
      Though cast|les top|ple on | their ward|ers' heads:
              ,    ,         ,     ,          ,
      Though pal|aces,| and pyr|amids | do* slope
              ,          ,          ,           ,           ,       2->
      Their heads | to their | founda|tions: though | the treas||ure
          ,              ,    ,       ,    ,       ->
      Of na|ture's ger/main, tum|ble al|togeth|er,
       Tx    T   .   T         ,       ,       ,
      Even till destruct|ion sick|en: ans|wer me
           ,       ,
      To what | I ask | you.
 
FIRST WITCH
                              ,
                            Speak.
 
SECOND WITCH
                                      ,
                                  Demand.
 
THIRD WITCH
                                                ,       ->
                                         We'll ans||wer.
 
FIRST WITCH
       ,      2          ,        ,         ,           ,
      Say,| if thou'dst^rath|er hear | it from | our mouths,
           ,         ,
      Or from | our mast|ers.
 
MACBETH
                               ,         ,          x
                             Call |'em: let | me see 'em.
 
FIRST WITCH
        T   .   T     T       ,          ,
      Pour in sow's blood,| that hath | eaten
       ,         ,          ,              ,
      Her nine^|farrow:| grease that's | sweaten
        ,         ,   2        ,        ___
      From the | murderer's | gibbet,| throw
         ,         ,
      Into | the flame.
 
ALL
                               ,        ,
                        Come high | or low:
           ,         ,        ,       ,
      Thyself | and of|fice deft|ly show.
 
[Thunder. First Apparition: an armed Head]
 
MACBETH
        ,             ,         x
      Tell me,| thou un|known^power.  ??
 
FIRST WITCH
                                         ,            ,
                                    He knows | thy thought:
        ,           ,           ,           __
      Hear his | speech, but | say thou | nought.
 
FIRST APPARITION
           ,         ,         ,
      Macbeth,| Macbeth,| Macbeth:
                                       ,         ,
                                   Beware | Macduff,
          ,          ,          ,         ,          x
      Beware | the Thane | of Fife:| dismiss | me. Enough.
 
[Descends]
 
MACBETH
           ,          ,         ,           ,           ,
      Whatere | thou art,| for thy | good* cau|tion, thanks
          2        ,          ,       ,      .   T    T    T
      Thou hast harped | my fear | aright.| But one word more.
 
FIRST WITCH
       ,         ,    2     ,         ,       ,
      He will | not be com|manded:| here's a|nother
            ,        ,          ,
      More pot|ent than | the first.
 
[Thunder. Second Apparition: A bloody Child]
 
SECOND APPARITION
           ,         ,         ,
      Macbeth,| Macbeth,| Macbeth:  (tri with prev)
 
MACBETH
          ,     T     T    T      ,
      Had I | three ears, I'd | hear thee.
 
SECOND APPARITION
           ,        ,         ,     ,
      Be bloo|dy, bold,| and res|olute:  (tetra with prev)
        ,          ,
      Laugh to | scorn    ????
            x         ,          ,        ,       ,
      The power | of man:| for none | of wom|an born
              ,         ,
      Shall harm | Macbeth.  (match di above?)
 
[Descends]
 
MACBETH
             ,         ,           ,        ,         ,
      Then live | Macduff:| what need | I fear | of thee?
           ,           ,       ,         ,        ,
      But yet | I'll make | assur|ance: doub|le sure,
            ,        ,         ,           ,           ,
      And take | a bond | of fate:| thou shalt | not live,
        ,   2        T    T    T        ,         ,
      That I may | tell pale-hear|ted fear,| it lies;
            ,          ,          ,
      And sleep | in spite | of thund|er.
      <-  ,         ,           ,       ,         ,      ,       ,
        What | is this,|| that ris|es like | the is|sue of | a king,
            ,       ,         ,      ,          ,
      And wears | upon | his ba|by-brow,| the round
           ,         ,       ,
      And top | of sove|reignty?
 
ALL
       ,              ,           x
      Listen, | but speak | not to it.  (tri with prev)
 
[Thunder. Third Apparition: a Child crowned, with a tree in his hand]
 
THIRD APPARITION
          ,     ,          ,      .    T   T   T
      Be li|on-met|tled, proud,| and take no care:
             ,           ,          ,         ,        ,
      Who chafes,| who frets,| or where | conspir|ers are:
           ,           ,      ,           ,      ,
      Macbeth | shall nev|er van|quished be,| until
        T     T  .   T         ,     T  .  T    T
      Great Birnam wood,| to high | Dunsinane hill
              ,        ,
      Shall come | against | him.
 
[Descends]
 
MACBETH
                                    ,          ,      ,
                                  That | will nev|er be:
       ,            ,          ,        ,          ,
      Who can | impress | the for|est, bid | the tree
         ,     .    T     T     T             ,           ,
      Unfix | his earth-bound root?| Sweet* bode|ments, good:
         ,           ,      ,   ,                  ,
      Rebel|lion's head,| rise nev/er till | the wood
          ,        ,                ,     ,          ,
      Of Birn|am rise,| and our / high-placed | Macbeth
              ,          ,         ,        ,           ,
      Shall live | the lease | of na|ture, pay | his breath
           ,         ,       ,        ,         ,
      To time,| and mort|al cust|om. Yet | my heart
         ,          T   T    T       ,         2      ,
      Throbs to | know one thing:| tell me,| if your art
            ,         ,           ,         ,       x
      Can tell | so much:| shall Ban|quo's is|sue ever
        ,               ,
      Reign in | this king|dom?
 
ALL
                                  ,     .   T   T   T
                                Seek | to know no more.
 
MACBETH
          ,        ,      ,       ,        ,
      I will | be sat|isfied.| Deny | me this,
         3  3   ,       ,       ,             ,         ,
      And an etern|al curse | fall on | you: Let | me know.
            ,            ,         ,           ,          ,
      Why sinks | that caul|dron? And | what noise | is this?
 
[Hautboys]
 
FIRST WITCH
       __
      Show.
 
SECOND WITCH
             __
            Show.
 
THIRD WITCH
                  __    oo
                 Show.|
 
ALL
        ,          ,            ,          ___
      Show his | eyes, and | grieve his | heart,
        ,          ,         ,     __
      Come like | shadows,| so de|part.
 
[A show of Eight Kings, the last with a glass in his hand; GHOST OF BANQUO following]
 
MACBETH
            ,     T    T   .    Tx         ,         ,
      Thou art | too like the spirit | of Ban|quo: down:
            ,            ,          ,     ,                ,
      Thy crown | does sear | mine^eye-|balls. And | thy hair
        ,   2        T    T     T         ,          ,
      Thou other | gold-bound brow,| is like | the first:
          ,          ,         ,         ,       ,
      A third,| is like | the form|er. Filth|y hags,
       ,    2        ,         ,          T      T     T
      Why do you | show me | this? A | fourth? Start eyes!
        ,               ,             ,      2      ,          ,
      What will | the line | stretch^out | to the crack | of doom?
        ,       ,         x            ,          ,
      Anoth|er yet?| A seventh?| I'll see | no* more:
           ,           ,         ,           ,         ,
      And yet | the eighth | appears,| who bears | a glass,
              ,         ,      ,          ,       ,
      Which^shows | me ma|ny more:| and some | I see,
        .   T    T    T          ,        ,        ,      ->
      That two-fold balls,| and tre|ble scep|ters car||ry.
       ,            ,     ,       ,           ,
      Hor|rible / sight: Now | I see | 'tis true,
         2      ,     ,          ,          ,      ,
      For the blood-|boltered | Banquo | smiles u|pon me,
             ,          ,         ,      ,              ,
      And points | at them | for his.| What? Is | this so?
 
FIRST WITCH
       ,              ,        ,        ,
      Aye sir,| all this | is so.| but why
        ,          T    T  . T     ,
      Stands Mac|beth thus amaz|edly?
             ,          ,         ,          ,
      Come* sis|ters, 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 ant|ic round:
             ,            ,          ,      ,
      That this | great^king | may kind|ly say,
           ,        ,         ,        ,
      Our dut|ies, did | his wel|come pay.
 
[Music. The witches dance and then vanish, with HECATE]
 
MACBETH
             ,            ,
      Where are | they? Gone?
                               ,             ,         ,
                              Let this | perni|cious hour,
             ,       ,       ,        ,     ,
      Stand^aye | accurs|ed in | the cal|endar.
            ,        ,
      Come in,| without | there.
 
LENNOX
                                  ,            ,         ,
                                What's | your gra|ce's will.
 
MACBETH
       ,              ,      ,
      Saw you | the weird | sisters?
 
LENNOX
                                      ,       __
                                     No my | lord.
 
MACBETH
        ,          ,        T
      Came they | not by | you?
 
LENNOX
                                 T  .  T         ,
                                No indeed | my lord.
 
MACBETH
          ,      ,        ,          ,          ,
      Infect|ed be | the air | whereon | they ride,
       .     T    T    T            ,           ,         ,
      And damned all those | that trust | them. I | did hear
           ,      ,         ,            x           ,
      The gal|loping | of horse.| Who was it | came by?
 
LENNOX
            ,         ,          ,           ,           ,
      'Tis two | or three | my lord,| that bring | you word:
           ,         ,        ,
      Macduff | is fled | to Eng|land.
 
MACBETH
                                         ,        ,        ->
                                       Fled | to Eng||land?
 
LENNOX
       ,      2       ,
      Aye,| my good lord.   \\
 
MACBETH
        ,       2    ,     ,          T    T   T
      Time, thou an|tici|patst my | dread exploits:
            ,       ,        ,           ,   ,
      The fligh|ty pur|pose nev|er is / oretook
          ,          ,           x       ,          ,
      Unless | the deed | go with it.| From this | moment,
           ,      ,          ,        ,            ,
      The ve|ry first|lings of | my heart | shall be
            ,          ,        ,         ,     ,
      The first|lings of | my hand.| And ev|en now
           ,            ,             ,      2      ,            ,
      To crown | my thoughts | with acts:| be it thought | and done:
           ,       ,        ,        ,         ,
      The cas|tle of | Macduff,| I will | surprise,
        ,           ,      ,             ,      2      ,
      Seize u|pon Fife;| give to | the edge | of the sword
            ,          ,          ,       ,    2      ,
      His wife,| his babes,| and all | unfor|tunate souls
             ,        3  3      ,         ,         ,        ,
      That trace | him in his line.| No boast|ing like | a fool,
             ,          ,       ,          ,         ,
      This deed | I'll do,| before | this pur|pose cool,
           ,           ,            ,           ,       ,
      But^no | more sights.| Where are | these gent|lemen?
             ,          ,           ,
      Come bring | me where | they are.  \\
 
[Exeunt]

← Previous Scene | Next Scene →


Home