I'll drain him dry as hay: Weary sev'n nights, nine times nine, 2 Witch. Show me, show me. 1 Witch. Here I have a pilot's thumb, Wrack'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: Peace!-the charm's wound up. Enter MACBETH and BANQUO. Macb. So foul and fair a day I have not seen. [Drum within. Ban. How far is 't call'd to Forres ?-What are these, That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth, That man may question? You seem to understand me, 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! 2 Witch. All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! 3 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 rapt withal; to me you speak not; And say, which grain will grow, and which will not, (1) A man forbid,--one under a curse, accursed. Speak then to me, who neither beg, nor fear, 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 on the insane root,2 That takes the reason prisoner? Macb. Your children shall be kings. You shall be king. Macb. And thane of Cawdor too; went it not so? Rosse. The king hath happily receiv'd, Macbeth, Which should be thine, or his: Silenc'd with that (1) By Sinel's death. Sinel was the father of Macbeth. (2) The insane root. The insane root is a root which would cause insanity. Some suppose henbane to be here intended. Thy praises in his kingdom's great defence, Ang. Rosse. And, for an earnest of a greater honour, For it is thine. Ban. What, can the devil speak true? Macb. The thane of Cawdor lives: Why do you dress me In borrow'd robes? Ang. Who was the thane, yet lives; But under heavy judgment bears that life Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combin'd with those of Norway; Or did line the rebel with hidden help And vantage; or that with both he labour'd In his country's wrack, I know not; But treasons capital, confess'd, and prov’d, Mach. Ban. Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange: The instruments of darkness tell us truths; Win us with honest trifles, to betray us 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.— Cannot be ill; cannot be good :—If ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor: If good, why do I yield to that suggestion (1) Trusted home, i.e. thoroughly, entirely relied on. Are less than horrible imaginings: My thought, whose murther yet is but fantastical, But what is not.2 Ban. Look, how our partner's rapt. Macb. If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir. Ban. New honours come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould, Macb. Come what come may, Time and the hour run through the roughest day. My dull brain was wrought with things forgotten. Where every day I turn the leaf to read them.- Think upon what hath chanc'd; and, at more time, Our free hearts each to other. Ban. Very gladly. Macb. Till then, enough.-Come, friends. SCENE IV.-Forres. A Room in the Palace. [Exeunt. Flourish. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENOX, and Attendants. Dun. Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not Those in commission yet return'd? My liege, Mal. (1) Single state of man. By single state of man is meant an individual in opposition to a number of persons; my single state of man, then, signifies Macbeth himself. (2) Nothing is but what is not, i.e. I can think of nothing but the future prospect of my being king. To find the mind's construction in the face: An absolute trust.-O worthiest cousin! Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSSE, and ANGUS. The sin of my ingratitude even now Was heavy on me: Thou art so far before, To overtake thee. 'Would thou hadst less deserv'd; Are to your throne and state, children and servants; Dun. Welcome hither: I have begun to plant thee, and will labour Ban. There if I grow, The harvest is your own. Our eldest, Malcolm; whom we name hereafter But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine Mach. The rest is labour, which is not us'd for Dun. My worthy Cawdor! you: Macb. The prince of Cumberland !—That is a step On which I must fall down, or else o'er-leap, [Aside. (1) The prince of Cumberland. In the time of Duncan, Cumberland was held of the crown of England, as a fief; and it gave a title to the person whom the king of Scotland might name as his successor. |