THIRD WITCH. A drum, a drum! Macbeth doth come. 

 ALL. The Weird Sisters, hand in hand, Posters of the sea and land, Thus do go about, about: Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine, And thrice again, to make up nine. Peace!—the charm’s wound up. 

Enter Macbeth and Banquo.

Macbeth

Banquo

 MACBETH. So foul and fair a day I have not seen. 

 BANQUO. 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’ th’ earth, And yet are on’t?—Live you? or are you aught That man may question? You seem to understand me, By each at once her choppy finger laying Upon her skinny lips. You should be women, And yet your beards forbid me to interpret That you are so. 

 MACBETH. Speak, if you can;—what are you? 

 FIRST WITCH. All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! 

 SECOND WITCH. All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! 

 THIRD WITCH. All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be king hereafter! 

 BANQUO. Good sir, why do you start and seem to fear Things that do sound so fair?—I’ th’ name of truth, Are ye fantastical, or that indeed Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner You greet with present grace and great prediction Of noble having and of royal hope, That he seems rapt withal. To me you speak not. If you can look into the seeds of time, And say which grain will grow, and which will not, Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear Your favours nor your hate. 

 FIRST WITCH. Hail! 

 SECOND WITCH. Hail! 

 THIRD WITCH. Hail! 

 FIRST WITCH. Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. 

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