1

Against the churches; though the yesty 1 waves
Confound and swallow navigation up;

Though bladed corn be lodged, and trees blown down;

Though castles topple 3 on their warders' heads;
Though palaces and pyramids do slope

Their heads to their foundations; though the trea

sure

Of nature's germins 4 tumble all together,

Even till destruction sicken, answer me
To what I ask you.

1 Witch.

2 Witch.

3 Witch.

Speak.

Demand.

We'll answer.

1 Witch. Say, if thou 'dst rather hear it from our

mouths,

Or from our masters'?

Macb.

Call them; let me see them.

1 Witch. Pour in sow's blood, that hath eaten

Her nine farrow; grease, that's sweaten

From the murderer's gibbet, throw

4 Seeds which have begun to germinate or sprout.

$ Adroitly.

Thunder. An apparition of an armed head rises.

Macb. Tell me, thou unknown power,1 Witch.

He knows thy thought;

Hear his speech, but say thou naught.

App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff;

Beware the thane of Fife.-Dismiss me.-Enough.

[descends.

Macb. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution,

thanks;

Thou hast harp'd1 my fear aright. But one word

more.

1 Witch. He will not be commanded: here's

another,

More potent than the first.

Thunder. An apparition of a bloody child rises.

App.

Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!

Macb. Had I three ears, I'd hear thee.

App. Be bloody, bold, And resolute laugh to scorn the power of man ; For none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.

[descends.

Macb. Then live, Macduff! What need I fear of

thee?

But yet I'll make assurance double sure,

To harp is to touch on a passion as a harper touches a string.

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.-What is this,

Thunder. An apparition of a child crowned, with a tree in his hand, rises.

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.

App. 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.

Macb.

[descends.

That will never be.

1

Who can impress the forest; 1 bid the tree

Unfix his earth-bound root? sweet bodements!

good!

Rebellious head, 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.

Seek to know no more.

1 Who can command the forest to serve him like a soldier impressed?

Macb. I will be satisfied: deny me this,

And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know :— Why sinks that caldron ? and what noise is this?

[hautboys.

1 Witch. Show! 2 Witch. Show! 3 Witch. Show!

All. Show his eyes, and grieve his heart: Come like shadows, so depart.

Eight kings appear, and pass over the stage in order ; the last with a glass in his hand; Banquo following.

Macb. Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo : down!

Thy crown does sear mine eye-balls;—and thy air,
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 cf doom? 1

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 2 Banquo smiles upon me,
And points at them for his.-What, is this so?