KING                           —Noble Banquo, That hast no less deserved, nor must be known No less to have done so, let me enfold thee And hold thee to my heart. BANQUO        There if I grow, The harvest is your own. KING               My plenteous joys, Wanton in fullness, seek to hide themselves In drops of sorrow.               […]

MACBETH      The service and the loyalty I owe, In doing, pays itself. Your highness’ part Is to receive our duties; and our duties Are to your throne and state, children and servants, Which do but what they should by doing everything Safe toward your love and honour. KING               Welcome hither. I have begun to plant […]

KING                           There’s no art To find the mind’s construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust. Enter Macbeth, Banquo, Ross, and Angus [To Macbeth]  O worthiest cousin, The sin of my ingratitude even now Was heavy on me. Thou art so far before That swiftest wing of recompense […]

Flourish. Enter King, Lennox, Malcolm, Donalbain, and attendants KING   Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not Those in commission yet returned? MALCOLM                              My liege, They are not yet come back. But I have spoke With one that saw him die, who did report That very frankly he confessed his treasons, Implored your highness’ pardon, and […]

BANQUO        Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure. MACBETH      Give me your favour. My dull brain was wrought With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains Are registered where every day I turn The leaf to read them. Let us toward the King. [To Banquo] Think upon what hath chanced, and at more time, The interim […]

BANQUO        [to Ross and Angus] Look how our partner’s rapt. MACBETH      [aside] If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me Without my stir. BANQUO        [to Ross and Angus] New honours come upon him Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould But with the aid of use. MACBETH     [aside] Come what come may, Time and […]

MACBETH      [aside] 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, Commencing in a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor. If good, why do I yield to […]

MACBETH      [To Banquo] Do you not hope your children shall be kings, When those that gave the Thane of Cawdor to me Promised no less to them? BANQUO                                That, trusted home, Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, Besides the Thane of Cawdor. But ’tis strange; And oftentimes to win us to our harm The […]

ANGUS            Who was the thane lives yet, But under heavy judgement bears that life Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combined With those of Norway, or did line the rebel With hidden help and vantage, or that with both He laboured in his country’s wreck, I know not; But treasons capital, confessed and […]

ANGUS                        We are sent To give thee from our royal master thanks, Only to herald thee into his sight, Not pay thee. ROSS               And for an earnest of a greater honour, He bade me, from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor; In which addition, hail, most worthy thane! For it is thine. BANQUO                                What, can […]