Scene II

[A camp near Forres.]

Alarum within. Enter King [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.
DUNCAN:
What man is that with blood all over him?
From the looks of him, he can tell us the latest news
Of the revolt.
MALCOLM:
This is the sergeant,
Who, like a good and hardy soldier fought(5)
Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend!
Say to the King the knowledge of the broil
As thou didst leave it.
MALCOLM:
This is the sergeant
Who, like a good and hardy soldier, fought
Against my being taken prisoner. Hail, brave friend!
Tell the king what you know about the battle
When you left it.
SERGEANT:
Doubtful it stood,
As two spent swimmers that do cling together(10)
And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald
Worthy to be a rebel, for to that
The multiplying villainies of nature
Do swarm upon himfrom the western isles
Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied;(15)
And fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling,
Show'd like a rebel's whore, but all's too weak;
For brave Macbethwell he deserves that name
Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel,
Which smoked with bloody execution,(20)
Like valor's minion carved out his passage
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.(25)
SERGEANT:
The outcome was doubtful;
Men fought like tired swimmers who cling together
And wind up choking. The merciless Macdonwald,
A worthy rebel, because
The multiple evils of nature
Are in him, has a supply of Irish foot soldiers and
Soldiers from the Irish chiefs in the Western islands,
And fortune, smiling on his damned quarrel,
Looked like a rebel's whore. Only they all lacked courage,
Because brave Macbeth, well he deserves that name,
Outshining fortune, with his brandished sword,
Which was steaming with blood in the hot use of it,
Like powers hero,
Carved out his way through them until he faced Macdonwald;
And he never shook hands, said goodbye to him,
Until he cut him in half, from his navel to his chin,
And put Macdonwalds head on top of our forts wall.
DUNCAN:
O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!
DUNCAN:
O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!
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:(30)
No sooner justice had, with valor 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 men,
Began a fresh assault.(35)
SERGEANT:
Just as when the sun rises and
Shipwrecking storms and terrible thunder stop,
So from that man, who seemed to bring comfort,
Discomfort got worse. Listen, King of Scotland, listen.
No sooner had fairness, armed with courage,
Made these skipping foot soldiers start running,
Only the Norwegian lord, seeing his opportunity,
Began a fresh assault,
With loaded weapons and new supplies of men.
DUNCAN:
Dismay'd not this
Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?
DUNCAN:
Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo,
Were not upset by this?
SERGEANT:
Yes,
As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion.
If I say sooth, I must report they were(40)
As cannons overcharged with double cracks,
So they
Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe.
Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds,
Or memorize another Golgotha,(45)
I cannot tell
But I am faint; my gashes cry for help.
SERGEANT:
Yes;
As sparrows are by eagles, or the hare is by the lion.
If I say truth, I must report they were as upset
As cannons overcharged with double cracks.
So they doubly re-doubled strokes upon the enemy.
Whether they meant to bathe in fresh, bleeding wounds,
Or create another Crucifixion scene,
I cannot tell.
Only I am faint; my deep cuts need some help.
DUNCAN:
So well thy words become thee as thy wounds;
They smack of honor both. Go get him surgeons. [Exit attendant.]
Who comes here?(50)
DUNCAN:
Your words suit you as your wounds do;
They both tell of honor. Go, get him surgeons.
Whos this coming here?
Enter Ross and Angus.

MALCOLM:
The worthy Thane of Ross.
MALCOLM:
The worthy Baron of Ross.
LENNOX:
What a haste looks through his eyes! So should he
look
That seems to speak things strange.
LENNOX:
He looks as though hes in a great hurry!
He look should look that way with so many strange things
To say.
ROSS:
God save the King!(55)
ROSS:
God save the King!
DUNCAN:
Whence camest thou, worthy Thane?
DUNCAN:
Where have you come from, worthy baron?
ROSS:
From Fife, great King,
Where the Norweyan banners flout the sky
And fan our people cold.
Norway himself, with terrible numbers,(60)
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,(65)
Curbing his lavish spirit; and, to conclude,
The victory fell on us.
ROSS:
From Fife, great king;
Where the Norwegian banners insult the sky
And, like a fan, make our people cold.
The King of Norway himself, with terrible numbers of men,
Assisted by that most disloyal traitor,
The Baron of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict;
Until the goddess of wars bridegroom, disguised as truth,
Confronted him with comparisons to himself, such as
How they were both rebellious and both armed alike,
Curbing his wild spirit. And, to conclude,
The victory fell on us.
DUNCAN:
Great happiness!
DUNCAN:
Great happiness!
ROSS:
That now
Sweno, the Norways king, craves composition;(70)
Nor would we deign him burial of his men
Till he disbursed, at Saint Colme's Inch,
Ten thousand dollars to our general use.
ROSS:
Then
Sweno, Norwegian king, wanted a treaty;
We would not agree to the burial of his men
Until he paid us, at Saint Colme's island,
Ten thousand dollars to our general use.
DUNCAN:
No more that Thane of Cawdor shall deceive
Our bosom interest. Go pronounce his present death,(75)
And with his former title greet Macbeth.
DUNCAN:
That Baron of Cawdor shall no longer betray
Matters close to our heart. Order his death immediately,
And, with the traitors former title, greet Macbeth.


ROSS:
I'll see it done.
ROSS:
I'll see it is done.
DUNCAN:
What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won.
DUNCAN:
What the traitor has lost, noble Macbeth has won.