Forres. A Room in a House.
 Thunder. Enter the three WITCHES, to a boiling cauldron.

1st Witch	Thrice the brinded cat hath mewed.

2nd Witch	Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.

3rd Witch	Harpier cries; 'tis time, 'tis time.

1st Witch	Round about the cauldron go;
	In the poisoned entrails throw.
	Toad that under cold stone
	Days and nights has thirty-one
	Sweltered venom sleeping got,
	Boil thou first i'th' charmd pot.

All Witches	Double, double toil and trouble,
	Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

2nd 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,
	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.

All Witches	Double, double toil and trouble,
	Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

3rd Witch	Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
	Witches' mummy, maw and gulf
	Of the ravined salt-sea shark,
	Root of hemlock digged i'th' dark,
	Liver of blaspheming Jew,
	Gall of goat, and slips of yew
	Slivered in the moon's eclipse,
	Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips,
	Finger of birth-strangled babe
	Ditch-delivered by a drab,
	Make the gruel thick and slab.
	Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
	For th' ingredience of our cauldron.

All Witches	Double, double toil and trouble,
	Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

2nd Witch	Cool it with a baboon's blood,
	Then the charm is firm and good.

                  Enter HECATE, and three other WITCHES.

Hecate	O, well done! I commend your pains;
	And everyone shall share i'th' gains.
	And now about the cauldron sing,
	Like elves and fairies in a ring,
	Enchanting all that you put in.
				   [Music and a song, 'Black Spirits,' etc. Then
					  exeunt HECATE and the other three WITCHES.

2nd Witch	By the pricking of my thumbs,
	Something wicked this way comes.
												[Knocking.
	Open, locks, whoever knocks.

                              Enter MACBETH.

Macbeth	How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!
	What is't you do?

All Witches							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 yeasty waves
	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
	Of nature's germens tumble all together,
	Even till destruction sicken - answer me
	To what I ask you.

1st Witch						Speak.

2nd Witch								Demand.

3rd Witch										We'll answer.

1st Witch	Say if thou'dst rather hear it from our mouths
	Or from our masters'?

Macbeth							Call 'em; let me see 'em.

1st Witch	Pour in sow's blood that hath eaten
	Her nine farrow; grease that's sweaten
	From the murderer's gibbet throw
	Into the flame.

All Witches						Come, high or low,
	Thyself and office deftly show.

                Thunder. FIRST APPARITION, an Armed Head.

Macbeth	Tell me, thou unknown power-

1st Witch								He knows thy thought.
	Hear his speech, but say thou naught.
1st
Apparition	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 harped my fear aright. But one word more-

1st Witch	He will not be commanded. Here's another,
	More potent than the first.

               Thunder. SECOND APPARITION, a Bloody Child.
2nd
Apparition	Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth-

Macbeth	Had I three ears I'd hear thee.

2nd
Apparition	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 Witches							Listen, but speak not to't.

3rd
Apparition	Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care
	Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are.
	Macbeth shall never vanquished be until
	Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill
	Shall come against him.
												[Descends.
Macbeth								That will never be.
	Who can impress the forest, bid the tree
	Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements, good!
	Rebellious dead, rise never till the wood
	Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth
	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 Witches							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?
												[Hautboys.
								And what noise is this?

1st Witch	Show!

2nd Witch	Show!

3rd Witch	Show!

All Witches	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.
                            BANQUO following.

Macbeth	Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo. Down!
	Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs. 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 th' crack of doom?
	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 twofold balls and treble sceptres carry.
	Horrible sight! Now I see 'tis true,
	For the blood-boltered Banquo smiles upon me,
	And points at them for his.
								   [Exeunt the KINGS and BANQUO.

									What, is this so?

1st Witch	Ay, Sir, all this is so. But why
	Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?
	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
	Our duties did his welcome pay.
					 [Music. The WITCHES dance, and then vanish.

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

                              Enter LENNOX.

Lennox								What's your grace's will?

Macbeth	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,
	And damned 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	Ay, my good lord.

Macbeth	[Aside.] Time, thou anticipat'st 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
	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 th' edge o'th' sword
	His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
	That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool;
	This deed I'll do before this purpose cool.
	But no more sights! [To LENNOX.] Where are these gentlemen?
	Come, bring me where they are.
												[Exeunt.
