Macbeth, Act 4, Scene 1

Thrice the brinded cat hath mew’d.

The brindled cat has mewed three times.

Thrice, and once the hedge-pig whin’d.

Three times, and once more, the hedgehog has whined.

Harpier cries:—’Tis time, ’tis time.

Harpier cries: it's time, it's time.

Round about the cauldron go; 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’ th’ charmed pot!

Go round and round the cauldron; throw the poisoned guts in. Toad, you who slept under a cold stone for thirty-one days and nights and sweated out venom, boil first in the enchanted pot!

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

Double, double, work and trouble; fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.

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.

A slice of a marsh snake, boil and bake in the cauldron; eye of newt and toe of frog, fur of bat and tongue of dog, adder's forked tongue and slow-worm's sting, lizard's leg and young owl's wing — for a charm of powerful trouble, boil and bubble like a broth of hell.

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

Double, double, work and trouble; fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.

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, 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 babe Ditch-deliver’d by a drab, Make the gruel thick and slab: Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron, For th’ ingredients of our cauldron.

Scale of a dragon, tooth of a wolf, a witch's mummified flesh, the stomach and gullet of a ravenous shark from the salt sea, root of hemlock dug up in the dark, liver of a blaspheming Jew, gall of a goat and slips of yew broken off during an eclipse of the moon, nose of a Turk and a Tartar's lips, the finger of a baby strangled at birth and delivered in a ditch by a whore — make the porridge thick and slimy. Add to it a tiger's entrails, to complete the ingredients of our cauldron.

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

Double, double, work and trouble; fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.

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 firm and good.

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.

Oh, well done! I praise your hard work, and everyone will get a share of the profits. And now sing around the cauldron, like elves and fairies in a ring, putting a spell on everything you throw in.

By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes. Open, locks, Whoever knocks!

By the pricking of my thumbs, something evil is coming this way. Open, locks, whoever knocks!

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

Well now, you secret, black, midnight hags! What is it you're doing?

A deed without a name.

A deed with no name.

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 Confound and swallow navigation up; 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, Even till destruction sicken, answer me To what I ask you.

I command you, by the black art you practise — however you come by your knowledge — answer me. Even if you untie the winds and let them fight against the churches; even if the foaming waves destroy and swallow up all shipping; even if ripe corn is flattened and trees blown down; even if castles fall on the heads of their guards; even if palaces and pyramids bow their tops down to their foundations; even if the whole store of nature's seeds is tumbled together until destruction itself grows sick of it — answer me what I ask you.

Speak.

Speak.

Demand.

Ask.

We’ll answer.

We'll answer.

Say, if thou’dst rather hear it from our mouths, Or from our masters?

Say whether you'd rather hear it from our mouths, or from our masters.

Call ’em, let me see ’em.

Call them; let me see them.

Pour in sow’s blood, that hath eaten Her nine farrow; grease that’s sweaten From the murderer’s gibbet throw Into the flame.

Pour in the blood of a sow that has eaten her nine piglets; take the grease that has sweated from a murderer's gallows and throw it into the flame.

Come, high or low; Thyself and office deftly show!

Come, from above or below; show yourself and your power skilfully!

Tell me, thou unknown power,—

Tell me, you unknown power—

He knows thy thought: Hear his speech, but say thou naught.

He knows what you're thinking. Listen to what he says, but say nothing yourself.

Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff; Beware the Thane of Fife.—Dismiss me.—Enough.

Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware of Macduff; beware of the Thane of Fife. Let me go. That's enough.

Whate’er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks; Thou hast harp’d my fear aright.—But one word more.

Whatever you are, thank you for your good warning; you have touched exactly the string of my fear. But one word more—

He will not be commanded. Here’s another, More potent than the first.

He won't take orders. Here's another, more powerful than the first.

Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!

Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!

Had I three ears, I’d hear thee.

If I had three ears, I'd listen with all of them.

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

Be bloody, bold and determined. Laugh at the power of any man, because nobody born of a woman will harm 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.

Then live, Macduff: why should I fear you? But even so, I'll make certainty doubly certain, and take a guarantee from fate. You shall not live; so that I can tell pale-faced fear that it's lying, and sleep in spite of thunder.

What is this, That rises like the issue of a king, And wears upon his baby brow the round And top of sovereignty?

What is this, that rises like the child of a king, and wears on his baby forehead the circle and crown of kingship?

Listen, but speak not to’t.

Listen, but don't speak to it.

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.

Have the spirit of a lion, be proud, and don't worry about who is angry, who frets, or where conspirators are: Macbeth will never be defeated until great Birnam wood comes against him at high Dunsinane hill.

That will never be: Who can impress the forest; bid the tree Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements, good! 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.—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?

That will never happen. Who can conscript a forest, or order a tree to pull up its root out of the ground? Sweet prophecies, good! Rebellion, never rise up until the wood of Birnam rises, and our high-placed Macbeth will live out the full term nature allows him and give up his breath only to time and the ordinary custom of dying. Yet my heart beats hard to know one thing: tell me, if your art can tell that much — will Banquo's children ever reign in this kingdom?

Seek to know no more.

Don't try to know any more.

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?

I will have an answer. Refuse me this, and may an everlasting curse fall on you! Let me know. Why is that cauldron sinking? And what noise is this?

Show!

Appear!

Show!

Appear!

Show!

Appear!

Show his eyes, and grieve his heart; Come like shadows, so depart!

Show yourselves to his eyes, and grieve his heart; come like shadows, and go the same way!

Thou are 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-bolter’d Banquo smiles upon me, And points at them for his.—What! is this so?

You are too much like the ghost of Banquo. Down! Your crown burns my eyes. And your hair, you second one with the gold band round your forehead, is like the first one's. A third is like the one before. Filthy hags! Why do you show me this? A fourth! Burst out of my head, eyes! What, will this line stretch out to the crack of doomsday? Yet another! A seventh! I'll look no more. And still the eighth appears, carrying a mirror that shows me many more; and some I see are carrying double orbs and triple sceptres. Horrible sight! Now I see it's true, because Banquo, his hair clotted with blood, smiles at me and points at them as his own. What — is this so?

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.

Yes, sir, all of this is so. But why does Macbeth stand there so stunned? Come, sisters, let's lift his spirits and show him the best of our entertainments. I'll charm the air to make music, while you perform your grotesque dance in a ring; so that this great king may say kindly that our services paid him a proper welcome.

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

Where are they? Gone? Let this destructive hour stand cursed for ever in the calendar! Come in, you out there!

What’s your Grace’s will?

What does your Grace want?

Saw you the Weird Sisters?

Did you see the Weird Sisters?

No, my lord.

No, my lord.

Came they not by you?

Didn't they pass by you?

No, indeed, my lord.

No, they really didn't, my lord.

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

Let the air they ride on be infected, and let everyone who trusts them be damned! I did hear the galloping of horses: who was it that went by?

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

It's two or three men, my lord, bringing you the news that Macduff has fled to England.

Fled to England!

Fled to England!

Ay, my good lord.

Yes, my good lord.

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!—Where are these gentlemen? Come, bring me where they are.

Time, you get ahead of my terrible plans. A fleeting intention is never caught up with unless the act goes along with it. From this moment on, the very first things my heart feels will be the first things my hand does. And right now, to crown my thoughts with actions, let it be thought and done: I'll make a surprise attack on Macduff's castle; seize Fife; put to the sword his wife, his children, and all the unlucky souls who belong to his family line. No boasting like a fool; I'll do this deed before the intention cools. But no more visions! Where are these gentlemen? Come, take me to them.