One night on the heath, the brave and respected general Macbeth encounters three witches who foretell that he will become king of Scotland. At first sceptical, he's urged on by the ruthless, single-minded ambitions of Lady Macbeth, who suffers none of her husband's doubt. But seeing the prophecy through to the bloody end leads them both spiralling into paranoia, tyranny, madness, and murder.Alarum within. Enter DUNCAN, MALCOLM, DONALBAIN, LENNOX, with Attendants, meeting a bleeding SergeantDUNCANWhat bloody man is that? He can report, As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt The newest state.MALCOLMThis is the sergeant Who like a good and hardy soldier fought 'Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend! Say to the king the knowledge of the broil As thou didst leave it.SergeantDoubtful it stood; As two spent swimmers, that do cling together And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald- Worthy to be a rebel, for to that The multiplying villanies of nature Do swarm upon him-from the western isles Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied; 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 smoked with bloody execution, Like valour'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.DUNCANO valiant cousin! worthy gentleman!SergeantAs 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: 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 men Began a fresh assault.DUNCANDismay'd not this Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?SergeantYes; As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion. If I say sooth, I must report they were As cannons overcharged with double cracks, so they Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe: Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds, Or memorise another Golgotha, I cannot tell. But I am faint, my gashes cry for help.DUNCANSo well thy words become thee as thy wounds; They smack of honour both. Go get him surgeons.Exit Sergeant, attendedWho comes here?Enter ROSSMALCOLMThe worthy thane of Ross.LENNOXWhat a haste looks through his eyes! So should he look That seems to speak things strange.ROSSGod save the king!DUNCANWhence camest thou, worthy thane?