Act 3 Scene 5


Scene Summary 


Hecate, goddess of witchcraft, is angry that she hasn’t been included in the dealings with Macbeth.


 She instructs the witches to further confuse Macbeth by showing him apparitions.


A Heath. Thunder. Enter the ThreeWitches meeting HECATE


FIRSTWITCH Why, how now, Hecate!You look angerly1


HECATE Have I not reason, beldams2


as you are,


Saucy3 and overbold? How did you dare To trade and traffic4 with Macbeth


In riddles and affairs of death; And I, the mistress of your charms, The close contriver5


of all harms, 10


Was never called to bear my part, Or show the glory of our art? And, which is worse, all you have done Hath been but for a wayward son6


,


Spiteful and wrathful, who, as others do, Loves for his own ends7


, not for you.


But make amends now: get you gone, And at the pit of Acheron8 Meet me i' the morning: thither9


he


Will come to know his destiny. Your vessels10


20 and your spells provide,


Your charms and everything beside. I am for the air; this night I'll spend Unto a dismal and a fatal end:11 Great business must be wrought12


Upon the corner of the moon There hangs a vaporous drop13


ere noon: profound; 30


I'll catch it ere it come to ground: And that distilled by magic sleights14 Shall raise such artificial sprites15 As by the strength of their illusion Shall draw him on to his confusion: He shall spurn16


10 vessels: cauldrons


this night…fatal end: I’ll spend tonight plotting something deadly and ruinous. 12 wrought: worked/created


11 13


vaporous drop: It was thought that witches used drops from the moon for their spells.


14 sleights: tricks 15 artificial sprites: false apparitions fate, scorn death, and bear


He hopes 'bove wisdom, grace and fear: And you all know, security17 Is mortals' chiefest enemy.


16 spurn: turn his back on 17 security: confidence


79 . 1 angerly: angry 2 beldams: hags


3 saucy: cheeky/impertinent trade and traffic: deal


4 5 close contriver: secret creator


6 wayward son: unreliable follower 7


Loves for his own ends: loves witchcraft to meet his own needs


8 9


Acheron: one of the rivers of the Underworld in Greek mythology thither: there


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