Macbeth. William Shakespeare

      Were such things here as we do speak about?

      Or have we eaten on the insane root

      That takes the reason prisoner? 85

       Macbeth

      Your children shall be kings.

       Banquo

      You shall be King.

       Macbeth

      And Thane of Cawdor too; went it not so?

       Banquo

      To th’ self-same tune and words. Who’s here?

      [Enter ROSS and ANGUS.]

       Ross

      The King hath happily receiv’d, Macbeth,

      The news of thy success; and when he reads 90

      Thy personal venture in the rebels’ fight,

      His wonders and his praises do contend

      Which should be thine or his. Silenc’d with that,

      In viewing o’er the rest o’ th’ self-same day,

      He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks, 95

      Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make,

      Strange images of death. As thick as tale

      Came post with post, and every one did bear

      Thy praises in his kingdom’s great defence,

      And pour’d them down before him.

       Angus

      We are sent 100

      To give thee, from our royal master, thanks;

      Only to herald thee into his sight,

      Not pay thee.

       Ross

      And, for an earnest of a greater honour,

      He bade me, from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor; 105

      In which addition, hail, most worthy Thane!

      For it is thine.

       Banquo

      What, can the devil speak true?

       Macbeth

      The Thane of Cawdor lives; why do you dress me

      In borrowed robes?

       Angus

      Who was the Thane lives yet;

      But under heavy judgment bears that life 110

      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 wreck, I know not;

      But treasons capital, confess’d and prov’d, 115

      Have overthrown him.

       Macbeth

      [aside] Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor!

      The greatest is behind. – Thanks for your pains.

      [Aside to BANQUO] Do you not hope your children shall be kings,

      When those that gave the Thane of Cawdor to me

      Promis’d no less to them?

       Banquo

      [aside to MACBETH] That, trusted home, 120

      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,

      Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s 125

      In deepest consequence. –

      Cousins, a word, I pray you.

       Macbeth

      [aside] Two truths are told,

      As happy prologues to the swelling act

      Of the imperial theme. – I thank you, gentlemen.

      [Aside] This supernatural soliciting 130

      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

      Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair 135

      And make my seated heart knock at my ribs

      Against the use of nature? Present fears

      Are less than horrible imaginings.

      My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,

      Shakes so my single state of man 140

      That function is smothered in surmise,

      And nothing is but what is not.

       Banquo

      Look how our partner’s rapt.

       Macbeth

      [aside] If chance will have me King, why, chance may crown me,

      Without my stir.

       Banquo

      New honours come upon him, 145

      Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould

      But with the aid of use.

       Macbeth [aside]

      Come what come may,

      Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.

       Banquo

      Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure.

       Macbeth

      Give me your favour. My dull brain was wrought 150

      With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains

      Are register’d where every day I turn

      The leaf to read them. Let us toward the King.

      [Aside to BANQUO] Think upon what hath chanc’d; and, at more time,

      The interim having weigh’d it, let us speak 155

      Our free hearts each to other.

       Banquo

      [aside to MACBETH] Very gladly.

       Macbeth

      [aside to BANQUO] Till then, enough. – Come, friends.

       [Exeunt.]

      SCENE III

      The meeting of Macbeth and the witches, which we heard them predict in Act I, Scene i, is about to take place. However, before Macbeth arrives on the heath, unaware of what he will find, the witches plan to torment a sea-captain whose wife has