Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.

MACBETH What man dare, I dare.

Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,

The armed rhinoceros, or th‘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 mock’ry, hence!

Exit Ghost

Why so, being gone,

I am a man again. Pray you sit still.

LADY MACBETH

You have displaced the mirth, broke the good meeting

With most admired disorder.

MACBETH

Can such things be

And overcome us like a summer’s cloud,

Without our special wonder? You make me strange

Even to the disposition that I owe,

When now I think you can behold such sights

And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks

When mine is blanched with fear.

Ross

What sights, my lord?

LADY MACBETH

I pray you, speak not. He grows worse and worse. 116

Question enrages him. At once, good night.

Stand not upon the order of your going,

But go at once.

LENNOX

Good night, and better health

Attend his majesty.

LADY MACBETH

A kind good-night to all.

Exeunt Lords

MACBETH

It will have blood, they say. Blood will have blood.

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

Augurs and understood relations have

By maggot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth

The secret’st man of blood. What is the night?

LADY MACBETH

Almost at odds with morning, which is which.

MACBETH

How sayst thou that Macduff denies his person

At our great bidding?

LADY MACBETH

Did you send to him, sir?

MACBETH

I hear it by the way, but I will send.

There’s not a one of them but in his house

I keep a servant fee’d. I will tomorrow,

And betimes I will, to the weird sisters.

More shall they speak, for now I am bent to know

By the worst means the worst. For mine own good

All causes shall give way. I am in blood

Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more,

Returning were as tedious as go o’er.

Strange things I have in head that will to hand,

Which must be acted ere they may be scanned.

LADY MACBETH

You lack the season of all natures, sleep.

MACBETH

Come, we’ll to sleep. My strange and self-abuse

Is the initiate fear that wants hard use.

We are yet but young in deed. Exeunt

3.5 Thunder. Enter the three Witches meeting Hecate

FIRST WITCH

Why, how now, Hecate? You look angerly.

HECATE

Have I not reason, beldams as you are?

Saucy and over-bold, 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 called to bear my part

Or show the glory of our art?—

And, which is worse, all you have done 10

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‘th’ morning. Thither he

Will come to know his destiny.

Your vessels and your spells provide,

Your charms and everything beside.

I am for th’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

There hangs a vap‘rous drop profound.

I’ll catch it ere it come to ground,

And that, distilled 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

His hopes ’bove wisdom, grace, and fear;

And you all know security

Is mortals’ chiefest enemy.

SPIRITS (singing dispersedly within)

Come away, come away.

Hecate, Hecate, come away.

HECATE

Hark, I am called! My little spirit, see,

Sits in a foggy cloud and stays for me.

The Song

SPIRITS ⌈within⌉

Come away, come away,

Hecate, Hecate, come away.

HECATE

I come, I come, I come, I come,

With all the speed I may,

With all the speed I may.

Where’s Stadlin?

SPIRIT ⌈within⌉

Here.

HECATE

Where’s Puckle?

ANOTHER SPIRIT ⌈within⌉

Here.

OTHER SPIRITS ⌈within⌉

And Hoppo, too, and Hellwain, too,

We lack but you, we lack but you.

Come away, make up the count.

HECATE

I will but ’noint, and then I mount.

⌈Spirits appear above.⌉ A Spirit like a Cat descends

SPIRITS ⌈above⌉

There’s one comes down to fetch his dues,

A kiss, a coll, a sip of blood,

And why thou stay’st so long I muse, I muse,

Since the air’s so sweet and good.

HECATE

O, art thou come? What news, what news?

SPIRIT LIKE A CAT

All goes still to our delight. Either come, or else refuse, refuse.

HECATE Now I am furnished for the flight.