I'll drain him dry as hay: 2 Witch. Show me, show me. 1 Witch. Here I have a pilot's thumb, Wrack'd, as homeward he did come. [Drum within 3 Witch. A drum, a drum; Macbeth doth come. All. The weird sisters?, hand in hand, supplied in Mr. Collier's folio, but we are not warranted in supplying rhymes which may not have been intended. Forbid, i. e. forspoken, unhappy, charmed or bewitched. The explanation of Theobald and Johnson, "interdicted or under a curse," is erroneous. A forbodin fellow, Scotice, still signifies an unhappy one. 7 This was supposed to be put in execution by means of a waxen figure. Holinshed, speaking of the witchcraft practised to destroy King Duff, says that they found one of the witches roasting, upon a wooden broach, an image of wax at the fire, resembling in each feature the king's person, &c.-" for as the image did waste afore the fire, so did the bodie of the king break forth in sweat: and as for the words of the inchantment, they served to keepe him still waking from sleepe." This may serve to explain the foregoing passage: "Sleep shall, neither night nor day Hang upon his pent-house lid." * In the pamphlet about Dr. Fian, already quoted—“ Againe it is confessed, that the said christened cat was the cause of the Kinge's majestie's shippe, at his coming forth of Denmarke, had a contrarie winde to the rest of his shippes then being in his companie."—" And further the said witch declared, that his majestie had never come safely from the sea, if his faith had not prevailed above their intentions." To this circumstance, perhaps, Shakespeare's allusion is sufficiently plain. 9 The old copy has weyward, probably to indicate the pronunciation; it is also used by Heywood. Weird, from the Saxon Posters of the sea and land, Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine, Enter MACBETH and BANQUO. Macb. So foul and fair a day I have not seen. Ban. How far is't call'd to Forres?-What are these, So wither'd, and so wild in their attire; That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth, Upon her skinny lips :-You should be women, That you are so. Macb. Speak, if you can ;-What are you? 1 Witch. All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis 10! 2 Witch. All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! 3 Witch. All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be king hereafter. Ban. Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear Things that do sound so fair?—I' the name of truth, Are ye fantastical11, or that indeed wynd, a witch, Shakespeare found in Holinshed. In Troilus and Cressid, Chaucer uses wierdes for destinies, and in the Ortus Vocabulorum we have "Cloto-Anglice, one of the three wyrde systers." Gawin Douglas, in his translation of Virgil, renders the parca by weird sisters. 10 The thaneship of Glamis was the ancient inheritance of Macbeth's family. The castle where they lived is still standing, and was lately the magnificent residence of the Earl of Strathmore. Gray has given a particular description of it in a Letter to Dr. Wharton. 11 Are ye fantastical, i. e. creatures of fantasy or imagination. Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner You greet with present grace, and great prediction Of noble having 12, and of royal hope, That he seems rapt 13 withal; to me you speak not: If you can look into the seeds of time, And which grain will say, grow, and which will not Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear 1 Witch. Hail! 2 Witch. Hail! 3 Witch. Hail! 1 Witch. Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. 2 Witch. Not so happy, yet much happier. 3 Witch. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none: So, all hail, Macbeth, and Banquo! 1 Witch. Banquo, and Macbeth, all hail! Macb. Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more: No more than to be Cawdor. Say, from whence you. Ban. The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, And these are of them.-Whither are they vanish'd? Macb. Into the air; and what seem'd corporal, melted As breath into the wind.—'Would they had staid! Ban. Were such things here, as we do speak about? 12 Having, i. e. estate, fortune. 13 Rapt is rapturously affected; extra se raptus. 14 Sinel. Dr. Beattie conjectured that the real name of this family was Sinane, and that Dunsinane, or the hill of Sinane, from thence derived its n Or have we eaten on the insane root 15, You shall be king. Macb. And thane of Cawdor too; went it not so? Ban. To the selfsame tune, and words. Who's here? Enter Rosse and ANGUS. Rosse. The king hath happily receiv'd, Macbeth, The news of thy success: and when he reads Thy personal venture in the rebel's fight, His wonders and his praises do contend, Which should be thine, or his. Silenc'd with that, In viewing o'er the rest o' the selfsame day, He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks, Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make, Strange images of death. As thick as tale 16, Came post with post; and every one did bear Thy praises in his kingdom's great defence, And pour'd them down before him. 15 The insane root was probably henbane. In Batman's Commentary on Bartholome de Propriet. Rerum, a book with which Shakespeare was familiar, is the following passage:-" Henbane is called insana, mad, for the use thereof is perillous; for if it be eate or dronke it breedeth madnesse, or slow lykenesse of sleepe. Therefore this hearb is called commonly mirilidium, for it taketh away wit and reason." 16 As thick as tale came post with post, i. e. posts arrived as fast as they could be counted. The old copy reads can. Rowe made the emendation. "Thicke," says Baret, "that cometh often and thicke together; creber, frequens, frequent, souvent-venant." And again : "Crebritas literarum, the often sending, or thicke coming of letters. Thicke breathing, anhelitus creber." Shakespeare twice uses "to speak thick" for "to speak quick." To tale or tell is to score or number. Rowe altered it to "as quick as hail," Mr. Hunter approves that reading, which Mr. Dyce inclines to think may be right, as we have it in Drayton's Battaile of Agincourt; "Out of the towne came quarries thick as haile." But a shower of arrows, and a rapid succession of messengers are very distinct things. Ang. We are sent, To give thee, from our royal master, thanks; Rosse. And, for an earnest of a greater honour, For it is thine. Ban. What, can the devil speak true? Macb. The thane of Cawdor lives? Why do you dress me In borrow'd robes? Ang. Who was the thane, lives yet; But under heavy judgment bears that life Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combin'd With hidden help and vantage; or that with both Have overthrown him. Macb. Glamis, and thane of Cawdor The greatest is behind.-Thanks for your pains.Do you not hope your children shall be kings, When those that gave the thane of Cawdor to me, Promis'd no less to them? Ban. That, trusted home, Might yet enkindle17 you unto the crown, Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange : Cousins, a word, I pray you. Macb. Two truths are told, 17 Enkindle means encourage you to expect the crown. A similar expression occurs in As You Like It, Act i. Sc. 1: "Nothing remains but that I kindle the boy thither." |