Macbeth

[A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron. Thunder. Enter the three Witches]

First Witch

Thrice the brinded cat hath mewed.

Second Witch

Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.

Third Witch

Harpier cries, 'Tis time, 'tis time.

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.

Macbeth

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

Macbeth

Blood hath been shed ere now, i' the olden time,
Ere human statute purged the gentle weal.
Ay, and since too, murders have been performed,
Too terrible for the ear. The times have been,
That, when the brains were out, the man would die —
And there an end. But now they rise again,
With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,
And push us from our stools. This is more strange
Than such a murder is.

Lady Macbeth

Macbeth

Lords

[Re-enter ghost of Banquo]

Macbeth

Lady Macbeth

Macbeth

[Ghost of Banquo vanishes]

Lady Macbeth

Macbeth

Ross

Lady Macbeth

Lennox

Lady Macbeth

[Exit all but Macbeth and Lady Macbeth]

Macbeth

Lady Macbeth

Macbeth

Lady Macbeth

Macbeth

Lady Macbeth

Macbeth

[Exit]

Macbeth

                                                                    What man dare, I dare:    
Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,
The armed rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger;
Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves
Shall never tremble — or be alive again,
And dare me to the desert with thy sword.

Macbeth

                                                         Can such things be,
And overcome us like a summer's cloud,
Without our special wonder? You make me strange
Even to the disposition that I owe,
When now I think you can behold such sights,
And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks,
When mine is blanched with fear.

Macbeth

It will have blood. They say, blood will have blood.
Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak;
Augurs and understood relations have
By maggot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth
The secret'st man of blood. What is the night?

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