Scene V

Inverness. Macbeth's castle.

Enter Macbeth's wife alone, with a letter.

LADY MACBETH:

“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 further, they made themselves air, into which
they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came(5)
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 mightst not lose(10)
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 promised. Yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness(15)
To catch the nearest way. 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'ldst have, great Glamis,
That which cries, “Thus thou must do, if thou have it;(20)
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,
And chastise with the valor of my tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden round,(25)
Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem
To have thee crown'd withal.

LADY MACBETH:

"They met me on the day we won the battle, and I have
learned by the most perfect report that they have more in them than
mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire to question them
further, they made themselves vanish into thin air.
While I stood captivated in the wonder of it all letters came from
the king, who all-hailed me, 'Baron of Cawdor'; by which title,
these weird sisters had just saluted me, and referred me to the
future, with 'Hail, king that shall be!' I thought was good news
to deliver you, my dearest partner in
this greatness, that you might not lose a moment’s happiness by
being ignorant of what greatness is promised you. Lay it to your
heart, and farewell." You are Baron of Glamis and of Cawdor and you shall be
What the weird sisters have promised you. Only I’m afraid your nature;
It is too full of the milk of human kindness
To a shortcut to power. You could be great;
You are not without ambition, only without
The drive should usually goes with it.
While you want to be king, you also want to act like a priest;
You wouldn’t play the game falsely, only you’d cheat to win. Great Glamis,
you’d have that which cries, "This is what you must do to be king.
And if you are afraid to do what you must,
Then wish it should be undone." Hurry and get here,
So I can pour my spirits into your ear
And with the courage of my tongue, scold you for
All that keeps you from the crown, the same crown
That luck and supernatural forces seem
To want you to have.

Enter a Messenger.

MESSENGER:

The King comes here tonight.

MESSENGER:

The king comes here tonight.

LADY MACBETH:

Thou'rt mad to say it!
Is not thy master with him? who, were't so,(30)

LADY MACBETH:

You’re crazy to say that!
Isn’t your master with him? If he is, he
Would have let me know so we can be ready.

MESSENGER:

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(35)
Than would make up his message.

MESSENGER:

Please, it’s true. Our baron is coming.
One of my friends traveled with him,
Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more breath
To deliver his message.

LADY MACBETH:

Give him tending;
He brings great news.

Exit Messenger.

The raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan(40)
Under my battlements. Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here
And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full
Of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood,
Stop up the access and passage to remorse,(45)
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose nor keep peace between
The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts,
And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers,
Wherever in your sightless substances(50)
You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night,
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark
To cry, “Hold, hold!”(55)

Enter Macbeth.

Great Glamis! Worthy Cawdor!
Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter!
Thy letters have transported me beyond
This ignorant present, and I feel now
The future in the instant.(60)

LADY MACBETH:

See to his needs;
He brings great news. The raven himself is hoarse
With croaking about the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my castle walls. Come, you spirits
That hear mortal thoughts, take away my womanhood;
And fill me, from my head to my toes, full
Of most terrible cruelty! Make my blood thick,
Stop up the ways remorse can get into and leave my body,
That no feelings of guilt
Keep me from what I intend to do, or put guilt between
The consequences and the deed! Come to my woman's breasts,
And make my milk poisonous, you murdering ministers,
Wherever in your blind shadows
You wait on human mischief! Come, thick night,
And rot in the most gloomy smoke of hell so
That my sharp knife doesn’t see the wound it makes
Or that heaven peeps through the blanket of the dark
To cry, "Stop, stop!" Great Glamis! Worthy Cawdor!
Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter!
Your letters have transported me beyond
This ignorant present, and I now feel
The future in the instant.

MACBETH:

My dearest love,
Duncan comes here tonight.

MACBETH:

My dearest love,
Duncan comes here tonight.

LADY MACBETH:

And when goes hence?

LADY MACBETH:

And when does he leave?

MACBETH:

Tomorrow, as he purposes.

MACBETH:

Tomorrow, as he intends.

LADY MACBETH:

O, never(65)
Shall sun that morrow see!
Your face, my Thane, is as a book where men
May read strange matters. To beguile the time,
Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye,
Your hand, your tongue; look like the innocent flower,(70)
But be the serpent under't. He that's coming
Must be provided for; and you shall put
This night's great business into my dispatch,
Which shall to all our nights and days to come
Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.(75)

LADY MACBETH:

O, the sun shall never
See that tomorrow!
Your face, my baron, is like a book where men
May read strange matters. To divert attention from the time
Look like the time; have welcome in your eyes,
Your hands, your tongue. Look like the innocent flower,
Only be the serpent underneath it. The king
Must be provided for. And you shall put
This night's great business into my care,
Which shall give kingly power and mastery alone
To all our nights and days to come.

MACBETH:

We will speak further.

MACBETH:

We’ll have to speak more.

LADY MACBETH:

Only look up clear;
To alter favor ever is to fear:
Leave all the rest to me.

LADY MACBETH:

Only look up clear;
To disturb favor is to fear favor.
Leave all the rest to me.

Exeunt.