SCENE, in the end of the fourth act, lies in England; through the rest of the play, in Scotland; and, chiefly, at Macbeth's Castle. ACT I. SCENE I-An open Place. Thunder and Lightning. Enter three WITCHES. 1 Witch. When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain? 2 Witch. When the hurlyburly's done, When the battle's lost and won: 3 Witch. That will be ere set of sun. 1 Witch. Where the place? 2 Witch. Upon the heath: 3 Witch. There to meet with Macbeth. 1 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? He can report, As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt The newest state. Mal. This is the sergeant, Who, like a good and hardy soldier, fought Sold. Doubtfully it stood; As two spent swimmers, that do cling together, And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald (Worthy to be a rebel; for, to that, The multiplying villanies of nature Do swarm upon him) from the western isles Carved out his passage, till he faced the slave; Dun. O, valiant cousin! worthy gentleman! Compell'd these skipping Kernes to trust their heels; With furbish'd arms, and new supplies of men, Dun. Dismay'd not this Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo? Sold. Yes; As sparrows, eagles; or the hare, the lion. Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe: * A toad. + Light and heavy armed troops. Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds, I cannot tell : But I am faint, my gashes cry for help. Dun. So well thy words become thee, as thy wounds; They smack of honour both :-Go, get him surgeons. [Exit SOLDIER, attended. Who comes here? Enter ROSSE. 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 ? Rosse. From Fife, great king, Where the Norweyan banners flout the sky, And fan our people cold. Norway himself, with terrible numbers, The thane of Cawdor, 'gan a dismal conflict: Point against point rebellious, arm 'gainst arm, Dun. Great happiness! Rosse. That now Sweno, the Norways' king, craves composition; Nor would we deign him burial of his men, Till he disbursed, at Saint Colmes' inch, Ten thousand dollars to our general use. Dun. No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive Our bosom interest :-Go, pronounce his death, Rosse. I'll see it done. Dun. What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won. [Exeunt. SCENE III-A Heath. Thunder. Enter the three WITCHES. 1 Witch. Where hast thou been, sister? 2 Witch. Killing swine. 3 Witch. Sister, where thou? 1 Witch. A sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap, And mounch'd and mounch'd, and mounch'd:-Give me, quoth I: Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o' the Tiger: And, like a rat without a tail, I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do. * Make memorable. + Armour. § A scurvy woman fed on offals. Avaunt. 2 Witch. I'll give thee a wind. 1 Witch. Thou art kind. 3 Witch. And I another. 1 Witch. I myself have all the other; I will drain him dry as hay: 2 Witch. Show me, show me. 1 Witch. Here I have a pilot's thumb, Wreck'd, as homeward he did come. 3 Witch. A drum, a drum; Macbeth doth come. All. The weird sisters, hand in hand, Posters of the sea and land, Thus do go about, about; Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine, And thrice again, to make up nine: 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 Upon her skinny lips :-You should be women, That you are so. Macb. Speak, if you can;-What are you? 1 Witch. All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis ! 3 Witch. All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be king hereafter. Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner You greet with present grace, and great prediction *Sailor's chart. Creatures of the imagination. † Accursed. § Estate. That he seems rapt withal; to me you speak not: And say, which grain will grow, and which will not; Your favours, nor your hate. 1 Witch. Hail! 2 Witch. Hail! 3 Witch. Hail! 1 Witch. Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. 2 Witch. Not so happy, yet much happier. 3 Witch. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none: So, all hail, Macbeth, and Banquo! 1 Witch. Banquo, and Macbeth, all hail! Macb. Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more: No more than to be Cawdor. Say, from whence With such prophetic greeting ?-Speak, I charge you. [WITCHES vanish. Ban. The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, Ban. Were such things here, as we do speak about? Or have we eaten of the insane root,* That takes the reason prisoner? Macb. Your children shall be kings. Ban. You shall be king. Macb. And thane of Cawdor too: went it not so ? Ban. To the self-same tune, and words. Who's here? Enter ROSSE and ANGUS. Rosse. The king hath happily received, Macbeth, Which should be thine, or his: Silenced with that, Ang. We are sent, To give thee, from our royal master, thanks; *Henbane. |