| Round about the cauldron go,In the poisoned entrails throw.Toad, that under cold stoneDays and nights has thirty-oneSweltered venom sleeping got,Boil thou first i’ th’ charmèd pot. | WitchCasting spell to make Macbeth see illusions so he will have overconfidence |
| Double, double toil and trouble,Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. | WitchesCasting spell to make Macbeth see illusions |
| Oh well done! I commend your pains,And every one shall share i’ th’ gains.And now about the cauldron sing,Like elves and fairies in a ring,Enchanting all that you put in. | HecatePraising the Witches for doing so well with the charm, tells them to come around the cauldron and sing, enchanting everything that is put in |
| By the pricking of my thumbs,Something wicked this way comes.Open, locks,Whoever knocks. | Witch Speaking to other witches, saying by the pricking of her thumbs she feels something wicked coming, open the door for whatever knocks |
| Though you untie the winds and let them fightAgainst the churches, though the yeasty wavesConfound 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 slopeTheir heads to their foundations, though the treasureOf nature’s germens tumble all together,Even till destruction sicken, answer meTo what I ask you. | MacbethSpeaking to the Witches, saying he does not care about the horrible acts they commit (blow down churches, make boats lost due to the waves, blow trees down, etc.) he wants to know his fate |
| Come, high or low;Thyself and office deftly show! | WitchesCalling to the apparitions |
| Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff.Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough. | First Apparition Warning Macbeth of Macduff |
| Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scornThe power of man, for none of woman bornShall harm Macbeth. | Second Apparition Telling Macbeth not to worry and be bold because no one who was born of a woman can 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. | MacbethSaying that Macbeth does not fear Macduff but he will have him killed anyway so he can sleep easy and live without fear |
| Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no careWho chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are.Macbeth shall never vanquished be untilGreat Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane HillShall come against him. | Third ApparitionTelling Macbeth not to worry, that his regime will be strong until the Great Birnam Wood goes to Dunsinane Hill |
| That will never be.Who can impress the forest, bid the treeUnfix his earthbound root? Sweet bodements! Good!Rebellious dead, rise never till the woodOf Birnam rise, and our high-placed MacbethShall live the lease of nature, pay his breathTo time and mortal custom. | MacbethSaying that the apparitions give good fortune, since no forest will ever be unrooted from the ground and move. He will be king for his whole natural life |
| Show his eyes and grieve his heart.Come like shadows; so depart! | WitchesSummoning the 8 kings to march across, make Macbeth’s heart grieve |
| Now I see ’tis true;For the blood-boltered Banquo smiles upon meAnd points at them for his. | MacbethThe Witches’ apparitions show Macbeth that Banquo’s descendants will become kings |
| Where are they? Gone? Let this pernicious hourStand aye accursèd in the calendar! | MacbethAngry because the Witches have left and brought him the bad news that Banquo’s descendants will be kings, curses this hour on the calendar. |
| Infected be the air whereon they ride,And damned all those that trust them! | MacbethSaying that the air that the Witches ride upon is cursed and damning all that trust them (basically realizing that he was a fool) |
| Time, thou anticipat’st my dread exploits.The flighty purpose never is o’ertookUnless the deed go with it. From this momentThe very firstlings of my heart shall beThe firstlings of my hand. | MacbethSpeaking to Lennox, Macbeth says that he will do everything he thinks of right away because otherwise he will never get the chance to do it. |
| The castle of Macduff I will surprise,Seize upon Fife, give to th’ edge o’ th’ swordHis wife, his babes, and all unfortunate soulsThat trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool.This deed I’ll do before this purpose cool. | MacbethSpeaking to Lennox and promises that he will claim the town of Fife and the castle of Macduff, kill his wife, babies, and all of his descendants. Must do it before he loses his sense of purpose |
| He loves us not;He wants the natural touch. For the poor wren,The most diminutive of birds, will fight,Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.All is the fear and nothing is the love,As little is the wisdom, where the flightSo runs against all reason. | Lady MacduffSpeaking to Ross about Macduff running away, saying he does not love his family and does not have the natural instinct to protect them like a weak wren would against a strong owl. It was out of fear and there was no wisdom in the decision. |
| I dare not speak much further;But cruel are the times when we are traitorsAnd do not know ourselves; when we hold rumorFrom what we fear, yet know not what we fear,But float upon a wild and violent seaEach way and none. | RossSpeaking to Lady Macbeth about Macduff’s disappearance, saying times are cruel when we are threatened as traitors and we do not know why. It is like being tossed in a sea. |
| Things at the worst will cease, or else climb upwardTo what they were before. | RossSpeaking to Lady Macduff about Macduff’s disappearance and saying that things at their worst will stop or they will begin to get better to the way they were before |
| Fathered he is, and yet he’s fatherless. | Lady MacduffSpeaking to Ross, speaking of her son and how Macduff has abandoned them |
| Then the liars and swearers are fools, for there are liars and swearers enough to beat the honest men and hang up them. | SonSpeaking to his mother, asked if Macduff was a traitor and then what a traitor is. Lady Macduff said that a traitor is someone who makes a promise and breaks out and they should be hanged so Son said that there are more liars and swearers that honest men |
| I doubt some danger does approach you nearly.If you will take a homely man’s advice,Be not found here. Hence with your little ones.To fright you thus methinks I am too savage;To do worse to you were fell cruelty,Which is too nigh your person. | MessengerWarning Lady Macbeth, saying danger is close to her and she should flee with her children |
| I am in this earthly world, where to do harmIs often laudable, to do good sometimeAccounted dangerous folly. Why then, alas,Do I put up that womanly defense,To say I have done no harm? | Lady MacduffSaying that she is in a world where doing bad is often praised and doing good is sometimes a mistake. She then questions why she would have tried to act ladylike and say she had done no harm |
| Let us ratherHold fast the mortal sword and, like good men,Bestride our downfall’n birthdom. Each new mornNew widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrowsStrike heaven on the face, that it resoundsAs if it felt with Scotland and yelled outLike syllable of dolor. | Macduff Saying they should grab their swords and defend Scotland since every day there are new crying widows and orphans and sorrows. Speaking to Malcom |
| This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues,Was once thought honest. You have loved him well.He hath not touched you yet. I am young, but somethingYou may deserve of him through me, and wisdomTo offer up a weak, poor, innocent lambT’ appease an angry god. | MalcomSpeaking to Macduff, saying Macbeth was once honest and was close to Macduff, who has not been touched by his wrath. Suggests that Macduff may be giving Macbeth him as a sacrifice |
| A good and virtuous nature may recoilIn an imperial charge. But I shall crave your pardon.That which you are, my thoughts cannot transpose.Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell.Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace,Yet grace must still look so. | MalcomSpeaking to Macduff, begging his pardon for speaking of Macduff’s possible treachery towards Malcom. His fears can not make Macduff evil and angels are still bright even though Lucifer fell and evil might look good but good still has to look good too |
| Great tyranny, lay thou thy basis sure,For goodness dare not check thee. Wear thou thy wrongs;The title is affeered.—Fare thee well, lord.I would not be the villain that thou think’stFor the whole space that’s in the tyrant’s grasp,And the rich East to boot. | MacduffSpeaking to Malcom and saying that he is a great tyrant and he should build himself up because good people are afraid to stand up to him. Macduff claims he wouldn’t be the tyrant that Malcom is painting him as even if he was offered all of Macbeth’s riches and the rich East. Referring to Malcom claiming Macduff was a spy sent to hurt Malcom. |
| Be not offended.I speak not as in absolute fear of you.I think our country sinks beneath the yoke.It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gashIs added to her wounds. I think withalThere would be hands uplifted in my right;And here from gracious England have I offerOf goodly thousands. But, for all this,When I shall tread upon the tyrant’s head,Or wear it on my sword, yet my poor countryShall have more vices than it had before,More suffer, and more sundry ways than ever,By him that shall succeed. | MalcomSpeaking to Macduff, saying he believes that the country is weeping and that people would rise up to fight for him, but if he becomes king it will be worse than the reign of Macbeth |
| It is myself I mean, in whom I knowAll the particulars of vice so graftedThat, when they shall be opened, black MacbethWill seem as pure as snow, and the poor stateEsteem him as a lamb, being comparedWith my confineless harms. | MalcomSpeaking to Macduff, saying that when his true evils are shown, Macbeth will seem pure as snow and as innocent as a lamb |
| Not in the legionsOf horrid hell can come a devil more damnedIn evils to top Macbeth. | MacduffSpeaking to Malcom who is claiming that he is a horrible person with evil intentions and that will make Macbeth appear pure. Macduff say that there are no devils in hell that are worse than Macbeth |
| But there’s no bottom, none,In my voluptuousness. Your wives, your daughters,Your matrons, and your maids could not fill upThe cistern of my lust, and my desireAll continent impediments would o’erbearThat did oppose my will. Better MacbethThan such an one to reign. | MalcomSpeaking to Macduff, saying that he has so much lust that mens’ wives, daughters, old women, and young maids could not satisfy his lust. Macbeth would be a better ruler due to this. (trying to test Macduff’s loyalty) |
| Boundless intemperanceIn nature is a tyranny. It hath beenThe untimely emptying of the happy throneAnd fall of many kings. | MacduffSpeaking to Malcom, saying that endless greed and lust from a king is tyranny and has been the downfall of many kings |
| But fear not yetTo take upon you what is yours. You mayConvey your pleasures in a spacious plentyAnd yet seem cold; the time you may so hoodwink.We have willing dames enough. There cannot beThat vulture in you to devour so manyAs will to greatness dedicate themselves,Finding it so inclined. | Macduff Speaking to Malcom, saying that he can sneakily convey these pleasures and there are enough girls willing to do this for the king |
| In my most ill-composed affection suchA stanchless avarice that, were I king,I should cut off the nobles for their lands,Desire his jewels and this other’s house.And my more-having would be as a sauceTo make me hunger more, that I should forgeQuarrels unjust against the good and loyal,Destroying them for wealth. | MalcomSpeaking to Macduff, saying that he has more greed than lust and that if he were king than he would take the lands from nobles and jewels and the more he obtained the more he would want (trying to test Macduff to see if he is loyal) |
| This avariceSticks deeper, grows with more pernicious rootThan summer-seeming lust, and it hath beenThe sword of our slain kings. Yet do not fear;Scotland hath foisons to fill up your will,Of your mere own. All these are portable,With other graces weighed. | MacduffSpeaking to Malcom, saying that this greed is worst than lust because it will not go away. But he should not fear because Scotland has many riches that will satisfy Macduff’s needs. |
| Nay, had I power, I shouldPour the sweet milk of concord into hell,Uproar the universal peace, confoundAll unity on earth. | MalcomSpeaking to Macduff, saying if he had the power he would take world peace and pour it down it hell and make the earth chaotic |
| O nation miserable,With an untitled tyrant bloody-sceptered,When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again,Since that the truest issue of thy throneBy his own interdiction stands accursed,And does blaspheme his breed? | MacduffSpeaking to Malcom, saying the poor country with the rightful man being a tyrant that shames his family |
| Thy royal fatherWas a most sainted king. The queen that bore thee,Oftener upon her knees than on her feet,Died every day she lived. Fare thee well!These evils thou repeat’st upon thyselfHave banished me from Scotland.—O my breast,Thy hope ends here! | MacduffSpeaking to Malcom, his father was a virtuous king and his mother would pray everyday, the evils that Malcom reports of himself make him want to leave Scotland. |
| But God aboveDeal between thee and me, for even nowI put myself to thy direction andUnspeak mine own detraction, here abjureThe taints and blames I laid upon myself,For strangers to my nature. I am yetUnknown to woman, never was forsworn,Scarcely have coveted what was mine own,At no time broke my faith, would not betrayThe devil to his fellow, and delightNo less in truth than life. My first false speakingWas this upon myself. What I am truly,Is thine and my poor country’s to command. | Malcom Speaking to Macduff, saying Macbeth has often tried to betray Malcom and sent spies but he trusts Macduff and everything bad he said about himself was a lie and he is a virgin and never lies or betrays a promise. He is simply a man ready to be true to Macduff and to his country |
| A most miraculous work in this good king,Which often since my here-remain in EnglandI have seen him do. How he solicits heaven,Himself best knows, but strangely visited people,All swoll’n and ulcerous, pitiful to the eye,The mere despair of surgery, he cures, | MalcomSpeaking to Macduff about Kind Edward’s ability to heal people by hanging a gold coin around their necks and saying prayers, he can also tell prophecies. He was given these abilities by God |
| It cannotBe called our mother, but our grave, where nothing,But who knows nothing, is once seen to smile;Where sighs and groans and shrieks that rend the airAre made, not marked; where violent sorrow seemsA modern ecstasy. | Ross Speaking to Macduff of the horrible state that Scotland is in, the only person smiling is the fool who knows nothing, where everyone is screaming and crying and sorrow is a common emotion |
| Let not your ears despise my tongue forever,Which shall possess them with the heaviest soundThat ever yet they heard. | RossAsking Macduff not to hate him forever for dealing the news that is the saddest news he ever heard |
| What, man! Ne’er pull your hat upon your brows.Give sorrow words. The grief that does not speakWhispers the o’erfraught heart and bids it break. | MalcomSpeaking to Macduff, telling him to put his grief into words and that the grief that is not spoken of will whisper to the heart until it breaks |
| Did you say all? O hell-kite! All?What, all my pretty chickens and their damAt one fell swoop? | MacduffSpeaking to Ross, asking if all of his children and their mother have been killed. Frantic and grief-stricken |
| Be this the whetstone of your sword. Let griefConvert to anger. Blunt not the heart, enrage it. | Malcom Speaking to Macduff, telling him to let the anger sharpen his sword and to turn grief into anger. Telling Macduff to fight Macbeth for murdering his children and wife |
| But, gentle heavens,Cut short all intermission. Front to frontBring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself.Within my sword’s length set him; if he ‘scape,Heaven forgive him too. | MacduffSpeaking to Malcom, saying that he wants the heavens to put Macbeth in front of him right now so they may fight and if Macbeth escapes then heaven forgive him |
Macbeth Quotes- Act 4
August 25, 2019