He labour'd in his country's wreck, I know not; Have overthrown him. Macb. The greatest is behind. Glamis, and thane of Cawdor: Do you not hope your children shall be kings, Ban. That, trusted home, Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 't is strange : Win us with honest trifles, to betray us In deepest consequence. Cousins, a word, I pray you. Macb. Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme. - I thank you, gentlemen. — This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill; cannot be good: - if ill, Why hath it given me earnest of success, If good, why do I yield to that suggestion My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, But what is not. Ban. Look, how our partner's rapt. Macb. If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown Without my stir. Ban. me, New honours come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould, Macb. Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day. Ban. Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure. Macb. Give your favour: my dull brain was wrought 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. - Our free hearts each to other. Ban. Very gladly. Macb. Till then, enough. - Come, friends. SCENE IV. Fores. A Room in the Palace. [Exeunt. Flourish. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENOX, and Attendants. Dun. Is execution done on Cawdor; or not Those in commission yet return'd? Mal. My liege, They are not yet come back; but I have spoke To find the mind's construction in the face: He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust. Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSSE, and ANGUS. O worthiest cousin! The sin of my ingratitude even now Was heavy on me. Thou art so far before, That swiftest wing of recompense is slow To overtake thee: would thou hadst less deserv'd, Macb. The service and the loyalty I owe, Are to your throne and state, children, and servants; Dun. Welcome hither: I have begun to plant thee, and will labour To make thee full of growing. Noble Banquo, And hold thee to my heart. Ban. The harvest is your own. Dun. There if I grow, My plenteous joys, Wanton in fulness, seek to hide themselves In drops of sorrow. - Sons, kinsmen, thanes, And you whose places are the nearest, know, We will establish our estate upon Our eldest, Malcolm; whom we name hereafter, But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine And bind us farther to you. Macb. The rest is labour, which is not us'd for you: I'll be myself the harbinger, and make joyful The hearing of my wife with your approach; So, humbly take my leave. Dun. My worthy Cawdor! That is a step, [Aside. Macb. The prince of Cumberland! Dun. True, worthy Banquo: he is full so valiant, [Exit. Whose care is gone before to bid us welcome: It is a peerless kinsman [Flourish. Exeunt. SCENE V. Inverness. A Room in MACBETH's Castle. Enter Lady MACBETH, reading a letter. Lady M. "They 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 farther, 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 mightest 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 promis'd. It is too full o' the milk of To catch the nearest way. Yet do I fear thy nature: human kindness, 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, That which cries, "Thus thou must do, if thou have it; And that which rather thou dost fear to do, Than wishest should be undone." Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear, Enter an Attendant. What is your tidings? Thou 'rt mad to say it. Atten. The king comes here to-night. Lady M. Is not thy master with him? who, wer't so, Would have inform'd for preparation. Atten. So please you, it is true: our thane is coming. One of my fellows had the speed of him; Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more Than would make up his message. Lady M. Give him tending: He brings great news. [Exit Attendant.] The raven himself is hoarse, That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night, |