3. Witch." ALL. HAIL, MACBETH, THAT SHALT BE KING HEREAFTER.

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.
Ban. How far is't call'd to Forres? - What are

these

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,

And yet your beards forbid me to interpret

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.

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50

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
You greet with present grace, and great prediction
Of noble having and of royal hope,

That he seems wrapt withal; to me you speak not:
If you can look into the seeds of time,

60 And say which grain will grow and which will not, Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear Your favors nor your hate.

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: 70 By Sinel's death, I know I'm thane of Glamis; But how of Cawdor? the thane of Cawdor lives, A prosperous gentleman; and to be king Stands not within the prospect of belief,

No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence

You owe this strange intelligence? or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
With such prophetic greeting? - Speak, I charge you.
[Witches vanish.

Ban. The earth hath bubbles as the water has,
And these are of them: whither are they vanish'd?
Macb. Into the air: and what seem'd corporal
melted

As breath into the wind. Would they had stay'd!

Ban. Were such things here as we do speak about? Or have we eaten on 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 Ross and ANGUS

Ross. The king hath happily received, Macbeth,
The news of thy success: and when he reads
Thy personal venture in the rebel's fight,

His wonders and his praises do contend

Which should be thine or his silenced with that,

In viewing o'er the rest o' the self-same day,

He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks,

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90

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.

Ang.

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 honor, He bade me, from him, call thee thane of Cawdor: In which addition, hail, most worthy thane! For it is thine.

Ban. [Aside.] 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, lives yet;

But under heavy judgment bears that life

Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combined

110 With those of Norway, or did line the rebel

With hidden help and vantage, or that with both
He labor'd in his country's reck, I know not;
But treasons, capital, confess'd and proved,
Have overthrown him.

Macb. [Aside.] Glamis, and thane of Cawdor: