Macbeth — Act 4, Scene 1in modern English, side by side
A dark Cave. In the middle, a Cauldron Boiling · First Witch, Second Witch, Third Witch, Hecate, Macbeth, Apparitions, Lennox
Haunted by Banquo's ghost and by the prophecy that Banquo's descendants will be kings, Macbeth has resolved to seek out the witches again and force them to reveal his future. Unknown to him, Macduff has already slipped away to England to join Malcolm, the dead King Duncan's son.
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Thunder. Enter the three Witches
First Witch
Thrice the brinded cat hath mew’d.
The striped cat has meowed three times.
Second Witch
Thrice, and once the hedge-pig whin’d.
Three times — and the hedgehog has whined once.
Third Witch
Harpier cries:—’Tis time, ’tis time.
Harpier, my spirit, is calling: it's time, it's time.
First Witch
Round about the cauldron go;
In the poison’d entrails throw.—5
Circle around the cauldron and throw in the poisoned guts.
Toad, that under cold stone
Days and nights has thirty-one
Swelter’d venom sleeping got,
i’ th’ charmed pot!
First into the enchanted pot goes the toad that sat under a cold stone for thirty-one days and nights, sweating out venom in its sleep.
Boil thou first
Boil it first!
All
Double, double, toil and trouble;10
Double, double, work and trouble — let our labor and the world's misery both multiply.
Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.
Burn, fire; bubble, cauldron.
Second Witch
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;
A slice of snake from the swamp — boil and bake it in the cauldron.
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,15
Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg, and howlet’s wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Eye of newt and toe of frog, fur of bat and tongue of dog, a snake's forked tongue and a blindworm's stinger, a lizard's leg and a young owl's wing: for a charm of powerful trouble, boil and bubble like a broth from hell.
All
Double, double, toil and trouble;20
Double, double, work and trouble — let our labor and the world's misery both multiply.
Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.
Burn, fire; bubble, cauldron.
Third Witch
Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witch’s mummy, maw and gulf
Of the ravin’d salt-sea shark,
Root of hemlock digg’d i’ th’ dark,25
Liver of blaspheming Jew,
Gall of goat, and slips of yew
Sliver’d in the moon’s eclipse,
Nose of Turk, and Tartar’s lips,
Finger of birth-strangled babe30
Ditch-deliver’d by a drab,
Make the gruel thick and slab:
A dragon's scale, a wolf's tooth, the dried flesh of a mummified witch, the stomach and gullet of a shark gorged on the salt sea, hemlock root dug up in the dark, the liver of a blaspheming Jew, a goat's bile, twigs of yew sliced off during an eclipse of the moon, a Turk's nose and a Tartar's lips, the finger of a baby strangled at birth after a prostitute delivered it in a ditch — make the stew thick and gluey.
Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron,
For th’ ingredients of our cauldron.
Then add a tiger's entrails to the ingredients of our cauldron.
All
Double, double, toil and trouble;35
Double, double, work and trouble — let our labor and the world's misery both multiply.
Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.
Burn, fire; bubble, cauldron.
Second Witch
Cool it with a baboon’s blood.
Then the charm is firm and good.
Cool it with a baboon's blood — then the charm is solid and complete.
Enter Hecate
Hecate
O, well done! I commend your pains,
And everyone shall share i’ th’ gains.40
Well done! I applaud your hard work, and everyone will share in the profits.
And now about the cauldron sing,
Like elves and fairies in a ring,
Enchanting all that you put in.
Now sing around the cauldron like elves and fairies dancing in a ring, and enchant everything you have thrown in.
_Music and a song: “Black Spirits,” &c._
_Exit Hecate._
Second Witch
By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.45
By the prickling in my thumbs, something wicked is coming this way.
Open, locks,
Whoever knocks!
Open, locks, for whoever knocks!
Enter Macbeth
Macbeth
How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!
Well, well — you secretive, black, midnight hags!
What is’t you do?
What are you doing?
All
A deed without a name.50
A deed without a name.
Macbeth
I conjure you, by that which you profess,
(Howe’er you come to know it) answer me:
I command you, in the name of the dark art you practice — however you come by your knowledge — answer me.
Though you untie the winds, and let them fight
Against the churches; though the yesty waves
Confound and swallow navigation up;55
Though bladed corn be lodg’d, 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 germens tumble all together,60
Even till destruction sicken, answer me
To what I ask you.
Even if it means you untie the winds and let them batter the churches; even if the foaming waves smash and swallow every ship at sea; even if ripe grain is flattened and trees are blown down; even if castles collapse onto their guards' heads; even if palaces and pyramids bow their tops down to their foundations; even if the very seeds of nature spill together into chaos until destruction itself grows sick of destroying — answer my question.
First Witch
Speak.
Speak.
Second Witch
Demand.
Ask.
Third Witch
We’ll answer.65
We'll answer.
First Witch
Say, if thou’dst rather hear it from our mouths,
Or from our masters?
Tell us: would you rather hear it from our mouths, or from our masters?
Macbeth
Call ’em, let me see ’em.
Call them. Let me see them.
First Witch
Pour in sow’s blood, that hath eaten
Her nine farrow; grease that’s sweaten70
From the murderer’s gibbet throw
Into the flame.
Pour in the blood of a sow that has eaten her own nine piglets, and throw into the flame the grease that has dripped from a murderer's gallows.
All
Come, high or low;
Thyself and office deftly show!
Come, spirits high and low — show yourself and your purpose, and be quick about it!
_Thunder. An Apparition of an armed Head rises._
Macbeth
Tell me, thou unknown power,—75
Tell me, you unknown power—
First Witch
He knows thy thought:
He knows what you're thinking.
Hear his speech, but say thou naught.
Hear what he says, but say nothing yourself.
Apparition
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
Beware Macduff;
Beware Macduff.
Beware the Thane of Fife.—
Beware the Thane of Fife.
Dismiss me.—
— Release me.
Enough.
— Enough.
_Descends._
Macbeth
Whate’er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks;80
Thou hast harp’d my fear aright.—
Whatever you are, thank you for the good warning — you have struck the exact chord of my fear.
But one word more.
But one word more—
First Witch
He will not be commanded.
He won't be given orders.
Here’s another,
More potent than the first.
Here's another, more powerful than the first.
_Thunder. An Apparition of a bloody Child rises._
Apparition
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
Macbeth
Had I three ears, I’d hear thee.85
If I had three ears, I'd listen with all three.
Apparition
Be bloody, bold, and resolute.
Be bloody, bold, and determined.
Laugh to scorn
The power of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.
Laugh at the power of any man — for no one born of a woman will ever harm Macbeth.
_Descends._
Macbeth
Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?
Then live, Macduff — why should I fear you?
But yet I’ll make assurance double sure,90
And take a bond of fate.
But still, I'll make certainty doubly certain and take out a guarantee from fate itself:
Thou shalt not live;
That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,
And sleep in spite of thunder.
you will not live. That way I can call my pale-hearted fear a liar and sleep soundly even through thunder.
_Thunder. An Apparition of a Child crowned, with a tree in his hand,
rises._
Macbeth
What is this,
That rises like the issue of a king,95
And wears upon his baby brow the round
And top of sovereignty?
What is this, rising like the child of a king and wearing on its baby forehead the round crown of royalty?
All
Listen, but speak not to’t.
Listen, but don't speak to it.
Apparition
Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care
Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:100
Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be, until
Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
Shall come against him.
Be lion-hearted and proud, and don't worry about who resents you, who complains, or where the conspirators are: Macbeth will never be defeated until Great Birnam Wood marches up high Dunsinane Hill to attack him.
_Descends._
Macbeth
That will never be:
That will never happen.
Who can impress the forest; bid the tree105
Unfix his earth-bound root?
Who can draft a forest into an army, or order a tree to pull up its roots from the earth?
Sweet bodements, good!
Sweet prophecies — excellent!
Rebellious head, rise never till the wood
Of Birnam rise, and our high-plac’d Macbeth
Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath
To time and mortal custom.—110
Rebellion, never raise your head until Birnam Wood itself rises, and our high-placed Macbeth will live out his full natural lifespan, giving up his breath only to time and ordinary death.
Yet my heart110
Throbs to know one thing:
And yet my heart pounds to know one thing.
tell me, if your art
Can tell so much, shall Banquo’s issue ever
Reign in this kingdom?
Tell me — if your art can see this far — will Banquo's descendants ever reign in this kingdom?
All
Seek to know no more.
Try to learn nothing more.
Macbeth
I will be satisfied:115
I will have my answer.
deny me this,115
And an eternal curse fall on you!
Deny me this, and may an eternal curse fall on you!
Let me know.
Tell me.
Why sinks that cauldron?
Why is that cauldron sinking?
and what noise is this?
And what is that music?
_Hautboys._
First Witch
Show!
Show him!
Second Witch
Show!
Show him!
Third Witch
Show!120
Show him!
All
Show his eyes, and grieve his heart;
Come like shadows, so depart!
Show his eyes and grieve his heart; come like shadows, and vanish like them too!
_A show of eight kings appear, and pass over in order, the last with
a glass in his hand; Banquo following._
Macbeth
Thou are too like the spirit of Banquo.
You look too much like Banquo's ghost.
Down!
Get down!
Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs:—
Your crown burns my eyeballs.
and thy hair,
Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first.125
And your hair, you second gold-crowned head, is just like the first one's.
A third is like the former.—
The third looks like the second.
Filthy hags!
— Filthy hags!
Why do you show me this?—
Why are you showing me this?
A fourth!—
— A fourth!
Start, eyes!
Leap out of your sockets, eyes!
What, will the line stretch out to th’ crack of doom?
What, will this line of kings stretch on until the crack of doom?
Another yet!—
Another one!
A seventh!—
A seventh!
I’ll see no more:—
And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass130
Which shows me many more;
I'll look no more — and yet an eighth appears, carrying a mirror that shows me many more;
and some I see
That twofold balls and treble sceptres carry.
and some of them carry double orbs and triple scepters.
Horrible sight!—
Horrible sight!
Now I see ’tis true;
For the blood-bolter’d Banquo smiles upon me,
And points at them for his.—135
Now I see it is true, for Banquo, his hair matted with blood, smiles at me and points at them as his own descendants.
What! is this so?135
— What! Is this really so?
First Witch
Ay, sir, all this is so:—
Yes, sir, all of this is true.
but why
Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?—
But why does Macbeth stand there so stunned?
Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites,
And show the best of our delights.
Come, sisters, let's cheer up his spirits and show him the best of our entertainments.
I’ll charm the air to give a sound,140
While you perform your antic round;
That this great king may kindly say,
Our duties did his welcome pay.
I'll charm the air into making music while you perform your wild round-dance, so this great king can graciously say that we did our duty and made him welcome.
_Music. The Witches dance, and vanish._
Macbeth
Where are they?
Where are they?
Gone?—
Gone?
Let this pernicious hour
Stand aye accursed in the calendar!—145
Let this poisonous hour stand cursed forever on the calendar!
Come in, without there!
— Come in, whoever's out there!
Enter Lennox
Lennox
What’s your Grace’s will?
What is your Grace's wish?
Macbeth
Saw you the Weird Sisters?
Did you see the Weird Sisters?
Lennox
No, my lord.
No, my lord.
Macbeth
Came they not by you?150
Didn't they pass right by you?
Lennox
No, indeed, my lord.
No, they certainly didn't, my lord.
Macbeth
Infected be the air whereon they ride;
And damn’d all those that trust them!—
Then may the air they ride on be infected, and may everyone who trusts them be damned!
I did hear
The galloping of horse:
I heard horses galloping
who was’t came by?
— who came by?
Lennox
’Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word155
Macduff is fled to England.
Two or three riders, my lord, bringing you word that Macduff has fled to England.
Macbeth
Fled to England!
Fled to England!
Lennox
Ay, my good lord.
Yes, my good lord.
Macbeth
Time, thou anticipat’st my dread exploits:
Time, you keep getting ahead of my dreadful plans.
The flighty purpose never is o’ertook160
Unless the deed go with it.
A fleeting intention is never caught unless the act travels along with it.
From this moment
The very firstlings of my heart shall be
The firstlings of my hand.
From this moment on, the first impulses of my heart will also be the first acts of my hand.
And even now,
To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done:
And starting right now, to crown my thoughts with action, let thinking and doing be one:
The castle of Macduff I will surprise;165
Seize upon Fife; give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line.
I will hit Macduff's castle by surprise, seize Fife, and put to the sword his wife, his children, and every unlucky soul in his family line.
No boasting like a fool;
This deed I’ll do before this purpose cool:
No fool's boasting — I'll do this deed before the intention cools.
But no more sights!—170
But no more visions!
Where are these gentlemen?170
— Where are those messengers?
Come, bring me where they are.
Come, take me to them.
_Exeunt._
Famous lines in this scene
“Double, double, toil and trouble; / Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.” line 10
The witches' chanted refrain as they circle the cauldron. 'Double, double' is a command: let our labor multiply the trouble we brew for the world. It is probably the most recognizable spell in English literature, and its drumming, unnatural rhythm sets the witches' speech apart from the verse the human characters speak.
“Eye of newt, and toe of frog, / Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,” line 14
The most famous ingredients in the witches' brew. Each item is a real scrap of an animal — a newt's eye, a frog's toe — chosen for grotesque effect. The list has become pop culture's shorthand for witchcraft, and it shows the witches reassembling ordinary nature into something deliberately unnatural and destructive.
“By the pricking of my thumbs, / Something wicked this way comes.” line 44
The Second Witch's thumbs tingle — a folk omen of approaching evil — announcing Macbeth's arrival. The chilling irony is that the witches themselves now call Macbeth 'something wicked': the man who began the play as a hero is so corrupted that even agents of evil recognize him as one of their own.
“none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth.” line 87
The second apparition's prophecy: no man born from a woman can hurt Macbeth. It sounds like total protection, and Macbeth takes it that way. But it is an equivocation — Macduff, delivered by caesarean rather than born naturally, falls outside its exact wording, and he will kill Macbeth in Act 5.
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