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Thus do go about, about, `
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Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine, `
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And thrice again, to make up nine. `
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Peace! The charm's wound up. `
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Enter Macbeth and Banquo. `
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MACBETH. So foul and fair a day I have not seen. `
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BANQUO. How far is't call'd to Forres? What are these `
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So wither'd and so wild in their attire, `
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That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth, `
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And yet are on't? Live you? or are you aught `
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That man may question? You seem to understand me, `
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By each at once her choppy finger laying `
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Upon her skinny lips. You should be women, `
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And yet your beards forbid me to interpret `
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That you are so. `
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MACBETH. Speak, if you can. What are you? `
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FIRST WITCH. All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! `
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SECOND WITCH. All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! `
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THIRD WITCH. All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter! `
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BANQUO. Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fear `
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Things that do sound so fair? I' the name of truth, `
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Are ye fantastical or that indeed `
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Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner `
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You greet with present grace and great prediction `
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Of noble having and of royal hope, `
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That he seems rapt withal. To me you speak not. `
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If you can look into the seeds of time, `
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And say which grain will grow and which will not, `
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Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear `
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Your favors nor your hate. `
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FIRST WITCH. Hail! `
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SECOND WITCH. Hail! `
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THIRD WITCH. Hail! `
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FIRST WITCH. Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. `
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SECOND WITCH. Not so happy, yet much happier. `
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THIRD WITCH. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none. `
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So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo! `
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FIRST WITCH. Banquo and Macbeth, all hail! `
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MACBETH. Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more. `
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By Sinel's death I know I am Thane of Glamis; `
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But how of Cawdor? The Thane of Cawdor lives, `
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A prosperous gentleman; and to be King `
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Stands not within the prospect of belief, `
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No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence `
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You owe this strange intelligence, or why `
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Upon this blasted heath you stop our way `
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With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you. `
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Witches vanish. `
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BANQUO. The earth hath bubbles as the water has, `
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And these are of them. Whither are they vanish'd? `
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MACBETH. Into the air, and what seem'd corporal melted `
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As breath into the wind. Would they had stay'd! `
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BANQUO. Were such things here as we do speak about? `
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Or have we eaten on the insane root `
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That takes the reason prisoner? `
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MACBETH. Your children shall be kings. `
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BANQUO. You shall be King. `
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MACBETH. And Thane of Cawdor too. Went it not so? `
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BANQUO. To the selfsame tune and words. Who's here? `
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Enter Ross and Angus. `
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ROSS. The King hath happily received, Macbeth, `
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The news of thy success; and when he reads `
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Thy personal venture in the rebels' fight, `
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His wonders and his praises do contend `
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Which should be thine or his. Silenced with that, `
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In viewing o'er the rest o' the selfsame day, `
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He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks, `
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Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make, `
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Strange images of death. As thick as hail `
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Came post with post, and every one did bear `
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Thy praises in his kingdom's great defense, `
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And pour'd them down before him. `
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ANGUS. We are sent `
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To give thee, from our royal master, thanks; `
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Only to herald thee into his sight, `
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Not pay thee. `
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ROSS. And for an earnest of a greater honor, `
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He bade me, from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor. `
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In which addition, hail, most worthy Thane, `
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For it is thine. `
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BANQUO. What, can the devil speak true? `
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MACBETH. The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress me `
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In borrow'd robes? `
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ANGUS. Who was the Thane lives yet, `
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But under heavy judgement bears that life `
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Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combined `
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With those of Norway, or did line the rebel `
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With hidden help and vantage, or that with both `
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He labor'd in his country's wreck, I know not; `
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But treasons capital, confess'd and proved, `
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Have overthrown him. `
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MACBETH. [Aside.] Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor! `
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The greatest is behind. [To Ross and Angus] Thanks for your `
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pains. `
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[Aside to Banquo] Do you not hope your children shall be `
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kings, `
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When those that gave the Thane of Cawdor to me `
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Promised no less to them? `
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BANQUO. [Aside to Macbeth.] That, trusted home, `
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Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, `
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Besides the Thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange; `
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And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, `
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The instruments of darkness tell us truths, `
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Win us with honest trifles, to betray's `
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In deepest consequence- `
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Cousins, a word, I pray you. `
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MACBETH. [Aside.] Two truths are told, `
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As happy prologues to the swelling act `
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Of the imperial theme-I thank you, gentlemen. `
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[Aside.] This supernatural soliciting `
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Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill, `
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Why hath it given me earnest of success, `
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Commencing in a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor. `
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If good, why do I yield to that suggestion `
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Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair `
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And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, `
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Against the use of nature? Present fears `
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Are less than horrible imaginings: `
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My thought, whose murther yet is but fantastical, `
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Shakes so my single state of man that function `
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Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is `
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But what is not. `
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BANQUO. Look, how our partner's rapt. `
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MACBETH. [Aside.] If chance will have me King, why, chance may `
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crown me `
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Without my stir. `
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BANQUO. New honors come upon him, `
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Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould `
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But with the aid of use. `
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MACBETH. [Aside.] Come what come may, `
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Time and the hour runs through the roughest day. `
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BANQUO. Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure. `
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MACBETH. Give me your favor; my dull brain was wrought `
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With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains `
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Are register'd where every day I turn `
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The leaf to read them. Let us toward the King. `
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Think upon what hath chanced, and at more time, `
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The interim having weigh'd it, let us speak `
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Our free hearts each to other. `
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BANQUO. Very gladly. `
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MACBETH. Till then, enough. Come, friends. Exeunt. `
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SCENE IV. `
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Forres. The palace. `
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Flourish. Enter Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lennox, and `
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Attendants. `
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DUNCAN. Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not `
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Those in commission yet return'd? `
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MALCOLM. My liege, `
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They are not yet come back. But I have spoke `
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With one that saw him die, who did report `
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That very frankly he confess'd his treasons, `
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Implored your Highness' pardon, and set forth `
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A deep repentance. Nothing in his life `
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Became him like the leaving it; he died `
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As one that had been studied in his death, `
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To throw away the dearest thing he owed `
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As 'twere a careless trifle. `
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DUNCAN. There's no art `
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To find the mind's construction in the face: `
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He was a gentleman on whom I built `
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An absolute trust. `
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Enter Macbeth, Banquo, Ross, and Angus. `
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O worthiest cousin! `
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The sin of my ingratitude even now `
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Was heavy on me. Thou art so far before, `
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That swiftest wing of recompense is slow `
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To overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserved, `
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That the proportion both of thanks and payment `
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Might have been mine! Only I have left to say, `
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More is thy due than more than all can pay. `
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MACBETH. The service and the loyalty lowe, `
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In doing it, pays itself. Your Highness' part `
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Is to receive our duties, and our duties `
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Are to your throne and state, children and servants, `
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Which do but what they should, by doing everything `
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Safe toward your love and honor. `
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DUNCAN. Welcome hither. `
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I have begun to plant thee, and will labor `
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To make thee full of growing. Noble Banquo, `
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That hast no less deserved, nor must be known `
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No less to have done so; let me infold thee `
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And hold thee to my heart. `
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BANQUO. There if I grow, `
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The harvest is your own. `
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DUNCAN. My plenteous joys, `
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Wanton in fullness, seek to hide themselves `
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In drops of sorrow. Sons, kinsmen, thanes, `
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And you whose places are the nearest, know `
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We will establish our estate upon `
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