Page 39 - Macbeth Modern Translation

‘I’ve heard it unofficially, but I’ll ask him personally. I’ll get to the truth: there’s
not a household among them where I haven’t got a spy.’

Lady Macbeth looked at the shadow which her husband had become. His
nose ran and dried spittle encircled his mouth.

‘I’m going to find the weird sisters early tomorrow morning,’ he said. ‘I want to
hear more. I’m determined to know the worst. It’s my top priority. I’ve waded
so far into blood that I couldn’t turn back now. There are some dreadful
things I want to do that I must act on before I can think about them.’

‘You’re badly in need of a good sleep,’ said Lady Macbeth.

‘Come,’ he said. ‘We’ll get some sleep. This episode tonight is the fear that
inexperience in evil brings. It won’t happen once I’m used to it. This is all new
to us.’

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Macbeth Modern Translation: Act 3, Scene 5

Somewhere far beyond the light of the sun the weird sisters huddle. Thunder
sounds in the distance. They sense the approach of the queen of darkness

and suddenly she’s there. They scream and give vent to their fear with animal
noises of all kinds. Hecate towers over them, piercing the dark with her fierce
gaze.

‘How did you dare
To trade and traffic with Macbeth,
In riddles, and affairs of death:
And I, the mistress of your charms,

The close contriver of all harms,
Was never called to play my part,
Or show the glory of our art?
And, which is worse, all you have done
Hath been but for a wayward son,
Spiteful and wrathful: who, as others do,
Loves for his own ends, not for you.

But make amends now: get you gone,
And at the pit of Acheron
Meet me i’ the morning: thither he
Will come to know his destiny.
Your vessels and your spells provide,
Your charms, and everything beside.
I am for the air: this night I’ll spend

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