The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 318

FIRST APPARITION. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff, Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.

Descends.

MACBETH. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks; Thou hast harp'd my fear aright. But one word more- FIRST WITCH. He will not be commanded. Here's another, More potent than the first.

Thunder. Second Apparition: a b.l.o.o.d.y Child.

SECOND APPARITION. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!

MACBETH. Had I three ears, I'd hear thee.

SECOND APPARITION. Be b.l.o.o.d.y, bold, and resolute: laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. Descends.

MACBETH. Then live, Macduff. What need I fear of thee?

But yet I'll make a.s.surance double sure, And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live, That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies, And sleep in spite of thunder.

Thunder. Third Apparition: a Child crowned, with a tree in his hand.

What is this, That rises like the issue of a king, And wears upon his baby brow the round And top of sovereignty?

ALL. Listen, but speak not to't.

THIRD APPARITION. Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are.

Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him. Descends.

MACBETH. That will never be.

Who can impress the forest, bid the tree Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements, good!

Rebellion's head, rise never till the Wood Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath To time and mortal custom. Yet my heart Throbs to know one thing: tell me, if your art Can tell so much, shall Banquo's issue ever Reign in this kingdom?

ALL. Seek to know no more.

MACBETH. I will be satisfied! Deny me this, And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know.

Why sinks that cauldron, and what noise is this?

Hautboys.

FIRST WITCH. Show!

SECOND WITCH. Show!

THIRD. WITCH. Show!

ALL. Show his eyes, and grieve his heart; Come like shadows, so depart!

A show of eight Kings, the last with a gla.s.s in his hand; Banquo's Ghost following.

MACBETH. Thou are too like the spirit of Banquo Down!

Thy crown does sear mine eyeb.a.l.l.s. And thy hair, Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first.

A third is like the former. Filthy hags!

Why do you show me this? A fourth! Start, eyes!

What, will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?

Another yet! A seventh! I'll see no more!

And yet the eighth appears, who bears a gla.s.s Which shows me many more; and some I see That twofold b.a.l.l.s and treble sceptres carry.

Horrible sight! Now I see 'tis true; For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me, And points at them for his. What, is this so?

FIRST WITCH. Ay, sir, all this is so. But why Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?

Come,sisters, cheer we up his sprites, And show the best of our delights.

I'll charm the air to give a sound, While you perform your antic round, That this great King may kindly say Our duties did his welcome pay.

Music. The Witches dance and then vanish with Hecate.

MACBETH. are they? Gone? Let this pernicious hour Stand ay accursed in the calendar!

Come in, without there!

Enter Lennox.

LENNOX. What's your Grace's will?

MACBETH. Saw you the weird sisters?

LENNOX. No, my lord.

MACBETH. Came they not by you?

LENNOX. No indeed, my lord.

MACBETH. Infected be the 'air whereon they ride, And d.a.m.n'd all those that trust them! I did hear The galloping of horse. Who wast came by?

LENNOX. 'Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word Macduff is fled to England.

MACBETH. Fled to England?

LENNOX. Ay, my good lord.

MACBETH. [Aside.] Time, thou antic.i.p.atest my dread exploits.

The flighty purpose never is o'ertook Unless the deed go with it. From this moment The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand. And even now, To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done: The castle of Macduff I will surprise, Seize upon Fife, give to the edge o' the sword His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool; This deed I'll do before this purpose cool.

But no more sights! -Where are these gentlemen?

Come, bring me where they are. Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Fife. Macduff's castle.

Enter Lady Macduff, her Son, and Ross.

LADY MACDUFF. What had he done, to make him fly the land?

ROSS. You must have patience, madam.

LADY MACDUFF. He had none; His flight was madness. When our actions do not, Our fears do make us traitors.

ROSS. You know not Whether it was his wisdom or his fear.

LADY MACDUFF. Wisdom? To leave his wife, to leave his babes, His mansion, and his t.i.tles, in a place From whence himself does fly? He loves us not; He wants the natural touch; for the poor wren, The most diminutive of birds, will fight, Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.

All is the fear and nothing is the love; As little is the wisdom, where the flight So runs against all reason.

ROSS. My dearest coz, I pray you, school yourself. But for your husband, He is n.o.ble, wise, Judicious, and best knows The fits o' the season. I dare not speak much further; But cruel are the times when we are traitors And do not know ourselves; when we hold rumor From what we fear, yet know not what we fear, But float upon a wild and violent sea Each way and move. I take my leave of you; Shall not be long but I'll be here again.

Things at the worst will cease or else climb upward To what they were before. My pretty cousin, Blessing upon you!

LADY MACDUFF. Father'd he is, and yet he's fatherless.

ROSS. I am so much a fool, should I stay longer, It would be my disgrace and your discomfort.

I take my leave at once. Exit.

LADY MACDUFF. Sirrah, your father's dead.

And what will you do now? How will you live?

SON. As birds do, Mother.

LADY MACDUFF. What, with worms and flies?

SON. With what I get, I mean; and so do they.

LADY MACDUFF. Poor bird! Thou'ldst never fear the net nor lime, The pitfall nor the gin.

SON. Why should I, Mother? Poor birds they are not set for.

My father is not dead, for all your saying.

LADY MACDUFF. Yes, he is dead. How wilt thou do for father?

SON. Nay, how will you do for a husband?

LADY MACDUFF. Why, I can buy me twenty at any market.

SON. Then you'll buy 'em to sell again.

LADY MACDUFF. Thou speak'st with all thy wit, and yet, i' faith, With wit enough for thee.

SON. Was my father a traitor, Mother?

LADY MACDUFF. Ay, that he was.

SON. What is a traitor?

LADY MACDUFF. Why one that swears and lies.

SON. And be all traitors that do so?