MACBETH 1.2

A camp near Forres.

[Alarum within. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN,

LENNOX, with Attendants, meeting a bleeding Sergeant]

DUNCAN What bloody man is that? He can report,

As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt

The newest state.

MALCOLM This is the sergeant

Who like a good and hardy soldier fought

'Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend! 5

Say to the king the knowledge of the broil

As thou didst leave it.

Sergeant Doubtful it stood;

As two spent swimmers, that do cling together

And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald-- 10

Worthy to be a rebel, for to that

The multiplying villanies of nature

Do swarm upon him--from the western isles

Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied;

And fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling, 15

Show'd like a rebel's whore: but all's too weak:

For brave Macbeth--well he deserves that name--

Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel,

Which smoked with bloody execution,

Like valour's minion carved out his passage 20

Till he faced the slave;

Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,

Till he unseam'd him from the nave to the chaps,

And fix'd his head upon our battlements.

DUNCAN O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman! 25

Sergeant As whence the sun 'gins his reflection

Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break,

So from that spring whence comfort seem'd to come

Discomfort swells. Mark, king of Scotland, mark:

No sooner justice had with valour arm'd 30

Compell'd these skipping kerns to trust their heels,

But the Norweyan lord surveying vantage,

With furbish'd arms and new supplies of men

Began a fresh assault.

DUNCAN Dismay'd not this 35

Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?

Sergeant Yes;

As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion.

If I say sooth, I must report they were

As cannons overcharged with double cracks, so they 40

Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe:

Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds,

Or memorise another Golgotha,

I cannot tell.

But I am faint, my gashes cry for help. 45

DUNCAN So well thy words become thee as thy wounds;

They smack of honour both. Go get him surgeons.

[Exit Sergeant, attended]

Who comes here?

[Enter ROSS]

MALCOLM The worthy thane of Ross.

LENNOX What a haste looks through his eyes! So should he look

That seems to speak things strange. 50

ROSS God save the king!

DUNCAN Whence camest thou, worthy thane?

ROSS From Fife, great king;

Where the Norweyan banners flout the sky

And fan our people cold. Norway himself, 55

With terrible numbers,

Assisted by that most disloyal traitor

The thane of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict;

Till that Bellona's bridegroom, lapp'd in proof,

Confronted him with self-comparisons, 60

Point against point rebellious, arm 'gainst arm.

Curbing his lavish spirit: and, to conclude,

The victory fell on us.

DUNCAN Great happiness!

ROSS That now 65

Sweno, the Norways' king, craves composition:

Nor would we deign him burial of his men

Till he disbursed at Saint Colme's inch

Ten thousand dollars to our general use.

DUNCAN No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive 70

Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death,

And with his former title greet Macbeth.

ROSS I'll see it done.

DUNCAN What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won.

[Exeunt]


		[Alarum within. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN,
		LENNOX, with Attendants, meeting a bleeding Sergeant]

DUNCAN		What bloody man is that? He can report,
		As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt
		The newest state.

MALCOLM	This is the sergeant
	Who like a good and hardy soldier fought
	'Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend!	5
	Say to the king the knowledge of the broil
	As thou didst leave it.

Sergeant	Doubtful it stood;
	As two spent swimmers, that do cling together
	And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald--	10
	Worthy to be a rebel, for to that
	The multiplying villanies of nature
	Do swarm upon him--from the western isles
	Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied;
	And fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling,	15
	Show'd like a rebel's whore: but all's too weak:
	For brave Macbeth--well he deserves that name--
	Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel,
	Which smoked with bloody execution,
	Like valour's minion carved out his passage	20
	Till he faced the slave;
	Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,
	Till he unseam'd him from the nave to the chaps,
	And fix'd his head upon our battlements.

Sergeant	As whence the sun 'gins his reflection
	Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break,
	So from that spring whence comfort seem'd to come
	Discomfort swells. Mark, king of Scotland, mark:
	No sooner justice had with valour arm'd	30
	Compell'd these skipping kerns to trust their heels,
	But the Norweyan lord surveying vantage,
	With furbish'd arms and new supplies of men
	Began a fresh assault.

Sergeant	Yes;
	As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion.
	If I say sooth, I must report they were
	As cannons overcharged with double cracks, so they	40
	Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe:
	Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds,
	Or memorise another Golgotha,
	I cannot tell.
	But I am faint, my gashes cry for help.	45

DUNCAN		So well thy words become thee as thy wounds;
		They smack of honour both. Go get him surgeons.
		[Exit Sergeant, attended]
		Who comes here?
		[Enter ROSS]

LENNOX		What a haste looks through his eyes! So should he look
		That seems to speak things strange.	50

ROSS	From Fife, great king;
	Where the Norweyan banners flout the sky
	And fan our people cold. Norway himself,	55
	With terrible numbers,
	Assisted by that most disloyal traitor
	The thane of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict;
	Till that Bellona's bridegroom, lapp'd in proof,
	Confronted him with self-comparisons,	60
	Point against point rebellious, arm 'gainst arm.
	Curbing his lavish spirit: and, to conclude,
	The victory fell on us.

ROSS	That now	65
	Sweno, the Norways' king, craves composition:
	Nor would we deign him burial of his men
	Till he disbursed at Saint Colme's inch
	Ten thousand dollars to our general use.

DUNCAN	No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive	70
	Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death,
	And with his former title greet Macbeth.