The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)

by William Shakespeare

and your spells and your charms and

  everything else. I’m going to fly.

  I’ll spend the night figuring out a dismal

  and fatal end. Many things need to be done

  before noon. On the corner of the moon hangs

  a profound drop of vapor. I will catch it

  before it can hit the ground and distill it

  with magic deceptions. It will raise such unreal

  ghosts that the mere power of their illusion

  will draw Macbeth on toward confusion.

  He will scorn fate and death and believe

  he is above wisdom, grace and fear.

  And, as you know, too much confidence

  is the enemy of man.

  Music and a song within: 'Come away, come away,' & c

  Hark! I am call'd; my little spirit, see,

  Sits in a foggy cloud, and stays for me.

  Listen! I am being called. I see my little spirit

  sitting in a foggy cloud, waiting for me.

  Exit

  First Witch

  Come, let's make haste; she'll soon be back again.

  C’mon, let’s hurry. She’ll be back again soon.

  Exeunt

  Forres. The Palace.

  Enter LENNOX and another Lord

  LENNOX

  My former speeches have but hit your thoughts,

  Which can interpret further: only, I say,

  Things have been strangely borne. The

  gracious Duncan

  Was pitied of Macbeth: marry, he was dead:

  And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late;

  Whom, you may say, if't please you, Fleance kill'd,

  For Fleance fled: men must not walk too late.

  Who cannot want the thought how monstrous

  It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain

  To kill their gracious father? damned fact!

  How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight

  In pious rage the two delinquents tear,

  That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?

  Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;

  For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive

  To hear the men deny't. So that, I say,

  He has borne all things well: and I do think

  That had he Duncan's sons under his key--

  As, an't please heaven, he shall not--they

  should find

  What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance.

  But, peace! for from broad words and 'cause he fail'd

  His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear

  Macduff lives in disgrace: sir, can you tell

  Where he bestows himself?

  The things I’ve said have been similar to what you’ve

  been thinking, and you can figure out what it means.

  I’m just saying things have played out strangely.

  The gracious Duncan was pitied by Macbeth,

  but—keep in mind—it was after he was dead.

  The highly noble Banquo was out walking too late.

  If you’d like, you could say Fleance killed him,

  since Fleance fled: men must not walk too late!

  Who cannot wonder at how shockingly wrong

  it was for Malcolm and Donalbain to kill

  their gracious father? Such a damned act!

  It caused Macbeth so much grief! So much

  that he had to fly into an exaggerated rage and kill

  the drunken and sleepy guards. Wasn’t that good

  of him? Yes, and wise of him, too. It would

  have angered anyone to hear the men deny it.

  It looks like he has handled things well.

  I think that if he had Duncan’s sons locked up—

  and it’s a good thing he does not—they

  would find out what was the punishment

  for killing a father, and so would Fleance.

  But, enough about that! I hear Macduff lives in disgrace

  because he speaks his mind and failed to show up

  at Macbeth’s dinner. Sir, can you tell me

  where he is keeping himself?

  Lord

  The son of Duncan,

  From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth

  Lives in the English court, and is received

  Of the most pious Edward with such grace

  That the malevolence of fortune nothing

  Takes from his high respect: thither Macduff

  Is gone to pray the holy king, upon his aid

  To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward:

  That, by the help of these--with Him above

  To ratify the work--we may again

  Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights,

  Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives,

  Do faithful homage and receive free honours:

  All which we pine for now: and this report

  Hath so exasperate the king that he

  Prepares for some attempt of war.

  The son of Duncan, Malcolm, whom Macbeth deprived

  of his birthright, lives in the English court.

  He has been welcomed by the good Edward with

  so much grace that he receives much respect

  despite his bad luck. Macduff went there to

  ask for Edward’s help to join with Northumberland

  and their lord, Siward, to fight Macbeth, with the help of

  God above. He wants to put food on our tables, restore

  sleep to our nights, allow us to have dinners and

  celebrations with no bloody, murderous knives present,

  and to pay homage to the king and receive honors freely.

  Basically, to give us all that we long for now.

  This news has so upset Macbeth that he is preparing for war.

  LENNOX

  Sent he to Macduff?

  Did he send for Macduff?

  Lord

  He did: and with an absolute 'Sir, not I,'

  The cloudy messenger turns me his back,

  And hums, as who should say 'You'll rue the time

  That clogs me with this answer.'

  He did. And after Macduff said an absolute

  ‘Sir, I will not,’ the gloomy messenger turned

  his back to me and hummed, as if to say ‘You’ll

  regret the time you gave me this answer.’

  LENNOX

  And that well might

  Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance

  His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel

  Fly to the court of England and unfold

  His message ere he come, that a swift blessing

  May soon return to this our suffering country

  Under a hand accursed!

  And that might cause him to be cautious, and

  to keep a wise distance. A holy angel should fly

  to the court of England and deliver a message

  telling Macduff to return to Scotland and free

  this suffering country from the hand of Macbeth.

  Lord

  I'll send my prayers with him.

  I’ll send my prayers with him.

  Exeunt

  A Cavern. In the Middle, a Boiling Cauldron.

  Thunder. Enter the three Witches

  First Witch

  Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.

  The brindled cat has meowed three times.

  Second Witch

  Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.

  Yes, three times, and once a hedge-hog whined.

  Third Witch

  Harpier cries 'Tis time, 'tis time.

  My spirit companion Harpier cries that it is time.

  First Witch

  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' the c
harmed pot.

  Round about the cauldron we go,

  and into the poison we throw entrails.

  A toad that has spent thirty-one

  days under a stone sweating

  a poisonous sleeping potion

  will go into the pot first.

  ALL

  Double, double toil and trouble;

  Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

  Double, double the work and trouble;

  The fire will burn, and the cauldron will bubble.

  Second 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 owlet's wing,

  For a charm of powerful trouble,

  Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

  A slice of a snake that inhabits the ferns,

  goes into the cauldron to boil and bake;

  Eye of a salamander and toe of a frog;

  Fur of the bat and tongue of a dog;

  The forked tongue of a poisonous snake

  and the sting of a blind worm;

  A lizard’s leg and the wing of a baby owl;

  This will make a charm of powerful trouble,

  boil and bubble like the broth of hell.

  ALL

  Double, double toil and trouble;

  Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

  Double, double the work and trouble;

  The fire will burn, and the cauldron will bubble.

  Third Witch

  Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,

  Witches' mummy, maw and gulf

  Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark,

  Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark,

  Liver of blaspheming Jew,

  Gall of goat, and slips of yew

  Silver'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 the ingredients of our cauldron.

  Scale of a dragon and tooth of a wolf;

  A witches’ mummified skin;

  the stomach and throat

  of a hungry shark;

  Root of hemlock dug up in the dark;

  liver of an evil-speaking Jew;

  Gallbladder of goat and twigs

  of yew broken during an eclipse

  of the moon; nose of a Turk

  and a Tartar’s lips; finger

  of a baby strangled in birth while

  delivered in a ditch by a slovenly

  woman. Make the potion thick

  and pourable. Add a tiger’s intestines

  to complete the cauldron’s ingredients.

  ALL

  Double, double toil and trouble;

  Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

  Double, double the work and trouble;

  The fire will burn, and the cauldron will bubble.

  Second Witch

  Cool it with a baboon's blood,

  Then the charm is firm and good.

  Cool it off with baboon’s blood,

  then the charm will be firm and good.

  Enter HECATE to the other three Witches

  HECATE

  O well done! I commend your pains;

  And every one shall share i' the gains;

  And now about the cauldron sing,

  Live elves and fairies in a ring,

  Enchanting all that you put in.

  You’ve done well! I applaud your efforts.

  And now everyone should share in the profits.

  Gather around the cauldron and sing

  like elves and fairies in a ring,

  enchanting all that you put into it.

  Music and a song: 'Black spirits,' & c

  HECATE retires

  Second Witch

  By the pricking of my thumbs,

  Something wicked this way comes.

  Open, locks,

  Whoever knocks!

  I can tell by the way my thumbs tingle

  that something wicked is coming this way.

  Locks, open to whoever knocks!

  Enter MACBETH

  MACBETH

  How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!

  What is't you do?

  Well, now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!

  What are you doing?

  ALL

  A deed without a name.

  We’re doing something that has no 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 yesty 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.

  I ask of you, by what you claim to know and however

  you know it, to answer me. Even if you have to let

  loose winds that will destroy churches, and send

  high waves to wash over ships and swallow them up;

  if you have to unearth planted corn and blow trees down;

  even if castles fall on their lodger’s heads and palaces

  and pyramids crumble into their foundations; even if you

  have to mix the treasures of nature all up together—

  even if destruction takes over everything:

  answer me what I ask of you.

  First Witch

  Speak.

  Speak.

  Second Witch

  Demand.

  Demand.

  Third Witch

  We'll answer.

  We’ll answer.

  First Witch

  Say, if thou'dst rather hear it from our mouths,

  Or from our masters?

  Would you rather hear it from our mouths

  or from our master’s mouth?

  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 sweaten

  From the murderer's gibbet throw

  Into the flame.

  Pour in the blood of a pig that has eaten

  her nine piglets and add fat that has

  dripped from a murderer’s gallows

  into the fire.

  ALL

  Come, high or low;

  Thyself and office deftly show!

  Come, high and low spirits.

  Reveal yourself and show who you are.

  Thunder. First Apparition: an armed Head

  MACBETH

  Tell me, thou unknown power,--

  Tell me, you unknown power—

  First Witch

  He knows thy thought:

  Hear his speech, but say thou nought.

  He can read your thoughts.

  Listen to him, but don’t say anything.

  First Apparition

  Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff;

  Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.

  Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff.

  Beware the thane of Fife. Let me go now. Enough.

  Descends

  MACBETH

  Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks;

  Thou hast harp'd my fear aright: but one

  word more,--

  Wherever you have gone—thanks for the warning.

  You’ve addressed w
hat I feared, but let me ask you

  one more thing—

  First Witch

  He will not be commanded: here's another,

  More potent than the first.

  He will not be called back. Here’s another

  stronger than the first.

  Thunder. Second Apparition: A bloody Child

  Second Apparition

  Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!

  Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!

  MACBETH

  Had I three ears, I'ld hear thee.

  If I had three ears, I’d listen with all three.

  Second Apparition

  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 in scorn

  at the power of any man, for no man born of a woman

  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.

  Then Macduff may as well live.

  Why should I be afraid of him?

  But, just to be double sure and to seal my fate,

  I will have him killed. That way I can

  tell my fear it lies and sleep at night

  in spite of everything.

  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