SCENE V. Inverness. Macbeth's castle. The Tragedy of Macbeth  Shakespeare homepage  |  Macbeth  | Act 1, Scene 5 

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 Enter LADY MACBETH, reading 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 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 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 

 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; 

 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 valour of my tongue 

 All that impedes thee from the golden round, 

 Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem 

 To have thee crown'd withal. 



 Enter a Messenger  What is your tidings? 

 Messenger  The king comes here to-night. 

 LADY MACBETH  Thou'rt mad to say it: 

 Is not thy master with him? who, were't so, 

 Would have inform'd for preparation. 

 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 

 Than would make up 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 

 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, 

 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 

 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!' 



 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. 

 MACBETH  My dearest love, 

 Duncan comes here to-night. 

 LADY MACBETH  And when goes hence? 

 MACBETH  To-morrow, as he purposes. 

 LADY MACBETH  O, never 

 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, 

 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. 

 MACBETH  We will speak further. 

 LADY MACBETH  Only look up clear; 

 To alter favour ever is to fear: 

 Leave all the rest to me. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Macbeth  | Act 1, Scene 5 

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