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Thursday, September 8, 2011

The Witches’ Spell by William Shakespeare

A dark Cave. In the middle, a Caldron boiling. Thunder.
Enter the three Witches.
1 WITCH. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew’d.
2 WITCH. Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin’d.
3 WITCH. Harpier cries:—’tis time! ’tis time!
1 WITCH. Round about the caldron 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 charmed pot!
ALL. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
2 WITCH. Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron 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.
ALL. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
3 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
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 the ingrediants of our caldron.
ALL. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
2 WITCH. Cool it with a baboon’s blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.



by William Shakespeare 
Act IV, Scene 1 from Macbeth (1606) by William Shakespeare

 

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11 comments:

  1. Such a great start to a great play. I love Macbeth so much (although, not so much the movie, when you have to see the old witches titties. Although having it be produced by Hugh Heffner explains all that...).

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  2. i love the photos! didn't understand quite well the poem, i guess it's some words are in an old version of the language or something :p

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  3. One of my favorite parts of one of my favorite plays!

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  4. William Shakespeare. He doth confusith me with his yon writings!

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  5. Of Pericles, to rage the city turn, Following!

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  6. Double, double toil and trouble;
    Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

    Ah, reminds me of my good ole English classes.

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  7. yep one of my favs :)

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