Contents
-BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD
William Shakespeare (1564–1616). The Tragedy of Macbeth.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
Scene II
Act I
[A camp near Forres]
Alarum within. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENNOX, with Attendants, meeting a bleeding Captain
Dun.What bloody man is that? He can report,As seemeth by his plight, of the revoltThe newest state.Mal.This is the sergeantWho like a good and hardy soldier fought’Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend!Say to the King the knowledge of the broilAs thou didst leave it.Cap.Doubtful it stood,As two spent swimmers that do cling togetherAnd choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald—Worthy to be a rebel, for to thatThe multiplying villainies of natureDo swarm upon him—from the Western IslesOf kerns and gallowglasses is suppli’d;And Fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling,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 smok’d with bloody execution,Like Valour’s minion carv’d out his passageTill he fac’d 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.Dun.O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman!Cap.As whence the sun gins his reflectionShipwrecking storms and direful thunders break,So from that spring whence comfort seem’d to comeDiscomfort swells. Mark, King of Scotland, mark!No sooner justice had, with valour arm’d,Compell’d these skipping kerns to trust their heels,But the Norweyan lord, surveying vantage,With furbish’d arms and new supplies of menBegan a fresh assault.Dun.Dismay’d not thisOur captains, Macbeth and Banquo?Cap.Yes;As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion.If I say sooth, I must report they wereAs cannons overcharg’d with double cracks; so theyDoubly redoubled strokes upon the foe.Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds,Or memorize another Golgotha,I cannot tell.But I am faint, my gashes cry for help.Dun.So well thy words become thee as thy wounds;They smack of honour both. Go get him surgeons.[Exit Captain, attended.]Enter Ross and ANGUS
Who comes here?Mal.The worthy thane of Ross.Len.What a haste looks through his eyes! So should he lookThat seems to speak things strange.Ross.God save the King!Dun.Whence cam’st thou, worthy thane?Ross.From Fife, great king;Where the Norweyan banners flout the skyAnd fan our people cold. Norway himself,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,Point against point, rebellious arm ’gainst arm,Curbing his lavish spirit; and, to conclude,The victory fell on us;—Dun.Great happiness!Ross.That nowSweno, the Norways’ king, craves composition;Nor would we deign him burial of his menTill he disbursed at Saint Colme’s inchTen thousand dollars to our general use.Dun.No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceiveOur bosom interest.Go pronounce his present death,And with his former title greet Macbeth.Ross.I’ll see it done.Dun.What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won.Exeunt.
