Ross. Gentlemen, rise; his highness is not well.

Lady M. Sit, worthy friends-my lord is often thus,

And hath been from his youth: pray you, keep seat;

The fit is momentary; upon a thought

He will again be well: if much you note him,
You shall offend him, and extend his passion:1
Feed, and regard him not.-Are you a man?
Mach. Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on
that

Which might appal the devil.
Lady M.

61

O proper stuff! This is the very painting of your fear: This is the air-drawn dagger which, you said, Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws2 and starts, Impostors to true fear, would well become A woman's story at a winter's fire, Authoriz'd by her grandam. Shame itself! Why do you make such faces? When all's done,

You look but on a stool.

Macb. Prithee, see there! behold! look! lo! how say you?

Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak

Think of this, good peers,

But as a thing of custom: 't is no other;
Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.

99

Macb. What man dare, I dare: Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, The arm'd rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger; Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves Shall never tremble: or be alive again, And dare me to the desert with thy sword; If trembling I inhabit, then protest me The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow! Unreal mockery, hence! [Ghost vanishes Why, so-being gone, I am a man again. Pray you, sit still.

3 Muse, wonder.

4 All to all, i e. all good wishes to all.

Len. Good night; and better health Attend his majesty! Lady M. A kind good night to all! [Exeunt all but Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Macb. It will have blood; they say blood I will have blood:

Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak;

Augurs3 and understood relations have

By magot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth

The secret'st man of blood.--What is the night? Lady M. Almost at odds with morning, which is which.

Mach. How say'st thou, that Macduff denies

Thunder. Enter the three Witches, meeting HECATE.

First Witch. Why, how now, Hecate! you look angerly.

Hec. Have I not reason, beldams as you are,
Saucy and overbold? How did you dare
To trade and traffic with Macbeth
In riddles and affairs of death;
And I, the mistress of your charms,
The close contriver of all harms,
Was never call'd to bear my part,
Or show the glory of our art?
And, which is worse, all you have done
Hath been but for a wayward son,
Spiteful and wrathful; who, as others do,
Loves for his own ends, not for you.
But make amends now: get you gone,
And at the pit of Acheron

Meet me i' the morning: thither he
Will come to know his destiny:
Your vessels and your spells provide,
Your charms and every thing beside.

I am for the air; this night I'll spend
Unto a dismal and a fatal end:
Great business must be wrought ere noon;
Upon the corner of the moon

10

20

There hangs a vaporous drop profound;
I'll catch it ere it come to ground:
And that distill'd by magic sleights
Shall raise such artificial sprites
As by the strength of their illusion
Shall draw him on to his confusion:
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear 30
His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear:
And you all know security

Is mortals' chiefest enemy.

5 Scann'd, examined.

To kill their gracious father? damned fact!3
How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight,
In pious rage, the two delinquents tear,
Thatwere the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;
For 't would have anger'd any heart alive
To hear the men deny 't. So that, I say,
He has borne all things well: and I do think
That, had he Duncan's sons under his key,-
As, an 't please heaven, he shall not, they
should find

What't were to kill a father; so should Fleance. But, peace! for from broad words, and 'cause he fail'd

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28

Lord. The son of Duncan, From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth, Lives in the English court, and is receiv'd Of the most pious Edward with such grace That the malevolence of fortune nothing Takes from his high respect. Thither Macduff Is gone to pray the holy king, upon his aid To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward: That by the help of these, with Him above To ratify the work, we may again

Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights, Free from our feasts and banquets bloody