First Witch. Here I have a pilot's thumb, Wrecked as homeward he did come. Third 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. Mach. So foul and fair a day I have not seen. Ban. How far is't called to Forres? What are these So withered 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 chappy finger laying Upon her skinny lips: you should be women, And yet your beards forbid me to interpret That you are so. Macb. Speak, if you can: what are you? First Witch. All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis ! Sec. Witch. All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! Third Witch. All hail, Macbeth, thou 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, Your favours nor your hate. First Witch. Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Sec. Witch. Not so happy, yet much happier. Third Witch. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none: So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo! First Witch. Banquo and Macbeth, all hail ! No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you. Ban. The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, As breath into the wind. Would they had stayed! Macb. Your children shall be kings. Ban. Macb. Ban. You shall be king. And thane of Cawdor too: went it not so? Who's * Insane root. Henbane is called insana in an old book of medicine. Enter Ross and ANGUS. Ross. 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; Not pay thee. Ross. And, for an earnest of a greater honour, He bade me, from him, call thee thane of Cawdor: 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 Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combined With those of Norway, or did line the rebel With hidden help and vantage, or that with both He laboured in his country's wreck, I know not; Macb. [Aside] Glamis, and thane of Cawdor. [To Ross and Angus] The greatest is behind. Thanks for your pains. [To Ban.] Do you not hope your children shall be kings, When those that gave the thane of Cawdor to me Ban. That trusted home Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange : And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Cousins, a word, I pray you. Macb. [Aside] Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme.—I thank you, gentlemen. [Aside] This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good if ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, But what is not. Ban. Look, how our partner's rapt. Macb. [Aside] 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. [Aside] Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day. Ban. Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure. Mach. Give me your favour: my dull brain was wrought With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains Are registered where every day I turn The leaf to read them. Let us toward the king. Our free hearts each to other. Ban. Macb. Till then, enough. Come, friends. Very gladly. W. Shakespeare. CXCV. Lady MACBETH. ACT I. SCENE V.-Inverness. Macbeth's Castle. Enter LADY MACBETH, reading a letter. HEY met me in the day of success; and I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them further, they made themselves air, into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me 'Thane of Cawdor;' by which title, before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred me to the coming on of time, with 'Hail, king that shalt be!' This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart, and farewell.' Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great; Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly, That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false, And yet wouldst wrongly win: thou'dst have, great Glamis, |