ACT I. SCENE I.-An open Place. Thunder and Lightning. Enter three Witches. 1st Witch. When shall we three meet again, In thunder, lightning, or in rain? 2nd Witch. When the hurlyburly's done, When the battle's lost and won: 3rd Witch. That will be ere set of sun. 1st Witch. Where the place? 2nd Witch. Upon the heath: 3rd Witch. There to meet with Macbeth. 1st Witch. I come, Graymalkin ! All. Paddock calls: - Anon. Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air. [Witches vanish SCENE II.-A Camp near Fores. Alarum within. Enter King DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENOX, with Attendants, meeting a bleeding Soldier. Dun. What bloody man is that? As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt The newest state. He can report, This is the sergeant, Who, like a good and hardy soldier, fought 'Gainst my captivity :-Hail, brave friend! Say to the king the knowledge of the broil, As thou didst leave it. Sol. Doubtfully it stood ; As two spent swimmers, that do cling together, (Worthy to be a rebel; for, to that, The multiplying villanies of nature Do swarm upon him,) from the western isles Of Kernes and Gallowglasses is supplied ; But all's too weak: For brave Macbeth, (well he deserves that name,) Like valor's minion, Carv'd out his passage, till he fac'd the slave; Dun. O, valiant cousin! worthy gentleman! Sol. As whence the sun 'gins his reflection Compell'd these skipping kernes to trust their heels: Dun. Dismay'd not this Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo? Sol. Yes; As sparrows, eagles; or the hare, the lion. Dun. So well thy words become thee, as thy wounds; They smack of honor both :-Go, get him surgeons. Who comes here? Enter ROSSE. [Exit Soldier, attended. Mal. The worthy thane of Rosse. Len. What a haste looks through his eyes! So should he look, That seems to speak things strange. Rosse. God save the king! Dun. Whence cam'st thou, worthy thane ? Where the Norweyan banners flout the sky, Norway himself, with terrible numbers, The thane of Cawdor, 'gan a dismal conflict: The victory fell on us ; Dun. Rosse. That now From Fife, great king, Great happiness! Sweno, the Norways' king, craves composition; Nor would we deign him burial of his men, Ten thousand dollars to our general use. Dun. No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive Our bosom interest. -Go, pronounce his present death, And with his former title greet Macbeth. Rosse. I'll see it done. Dun. What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won. 5* [Exeunt. SCENE III. - A Heath. Thunder Enter the three Witches. 1st Witch. Where hast thou been, sister ? 2nd Witch. Killing swine. 3rd Witch. Sister, where thou? 1st Witch. A sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap, And mounch'd and mounch'd and mounch'd ;-Give me, quoth I: Aroint thee, witch! the rump-fed ronyon cries. Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o' the Tiger: But in a sieve I'll thither sail, And, like a rat without a tail, I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do. 2nd Witch. I'll give thee a wind. 1st Witch. Thou art kind. 3rd Witch. And I another. 1st Witch. I myself have all the other: And the very ports they blow, All the quarters that they know I will drain him dry as hay : Weary sev'n-nights, nine times nine, 2nd Witch. Show me, show me. Wreck'd as homeward he did come. Macbeth doth come. All. The weird sisters, hand in hand, Posters of the sea and land, Peace! the charm's wound up. Enter MACBETH and BANQUO. [Drum within Macb. So foul and fair a day I have not seen. So wither'd, and so wild in their attire; That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth, And yet are on't? Live you? or are you aught That man may question? You seem to understand me, By each at once her choppy finger laying Macb. Speak, if you can ;-What are you ? 1st Witch. All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis! 2nd Witch. All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! 3rd Witch. All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be king hereafter. Ban. Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear Things that do sound so fair?-I' the name of truth, Are ye fantastical, or that indeed Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner That he seems wrapt withal; to me you speak not: And say, which grain will grow, and which will not; Your favors, nor your hate. 1st Witch. Hail! 2nd Witch. Hail! 3rd Witch. Hail! 1st Witch. Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. 2nd Witch. Not so happy, yet much happier. 3rd Witch. Thy children shall be kings, though thou be none: So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo! 1st Witch. Banquo, and Macbeth, all hail ! Macb. Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more : By Sinel's death, I know, I am thane of Glamis; [Witches vanish. Ban. The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, Ban. Were such things here, as we do speak about? Macb. Your children shall be kings. You shall be king. Enter ROSSE and ANGUS. Rosse. The king hath happily received, Macbeth, Ang. We are sent, To give thee, from our royal master, thanks; Rosse. And, for an earnest of a greater honor, In which addition, hail, most worthy thane! For it is thine. Ban. What, can the devil speak true? Macb. The thane of Cawdor lives; Why do you dress me In borrowed robes? Ang. Who was the thane, lives yet; But under heavy judgment bears that life With hidden help and vantage; or that with both But treasons capital, confess'd, and prov'd, Have overthrown him. Macb. Glamis, and thane of Cawdor: The greatest is behind. -Thanks for your pains.- Promis'd no less to them? Ban. That, trusted home Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, Win us with honest trifles, to betray us In deepest consequences. Cousins, a word, I pray you. Macb. Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme. I thank you, gentlemen. This supernatural soliciting |