Macbeth - Power and Corruption (Polanski's the Tragedy of Macbeth)

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Fair is foul and foul is fair.

Hover through the fog and filthy air.

When shall we three meet again?

In thunder, lightning or in rain?

When the hurlyburly's done.

When the battle's lost and won.

- That would be ere the set of sun.

- Where?

Upon the heath.

There to meet with Macbeth.

- What bloody man is that?

- Hail, friend!

Say to the king thy knowledge

of the broil as thou left it.

The merciless Macdonwald led

his rebellion from the Western Isles.

And fortune on

his damned quarrel smiled.

- But, brave Macbeth...

- He deserves that name.

- Carved out a passage

till he faced the slave.

And ne'er shook hands

nor bade farewell...

...till he unseamed him

from the nave to the chops.

Valiant cousin!

Upon this chance did

the Norwegian king...

...with new supplies of men,

begin a fresh assault.

Dismayed not this our captains,

Macbeth and Banquo?

Yes. As sparrows eagles,

or the hare the lion.

So well thy words become thee as

thy wounds. They smack of honour.

Go get him surgeons.

- God save the king.

- What news, worthy thane?

Norway, in terrible numbers...

...assisted by this traitor,

the Thane of Cawdor...

...began a dismal conflict till

Bellona's bridegroom, Macbeth...

...confronts the king arm against arm,

curbing his lavish spirit.

And to conclude,

the victory fell on us.

Great happiness! No more that thane

shall deceive our bosom interest.

Go pronounce his present death.

And with his former title,

greet Macbeth.

So foul and fair a day

I have not seen.

What are these?

So withered and wild

in their attire...

...that look not like

inhabitants of the Earth.

Speak, if you can.

What are you?

All hail, Macbeth.

Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis.

All hail, Macbeth.

Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor.

All hail, Macbeth,

that shall be king hereafter.

Are ye fantastical, or that indeed

which outwardly you show?

My partner you greet with grace

and great prediction...

...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 to me...

...who neither beg nor fear

your favours nor your hate.

Hail! Lesser than Macbeth,

and greater.

Not so happy, yet much happier.

Thou shalt beget kings,

though thou be none.

So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo.

Banquo and Macbeth, all hail.

Stay, you imperfect speakers!

Tell me more.

By Sinel's death,

I know I am Thane of Glamis.

But how of Cawdor?

Say from whence you owe

this intelligence.

Or why upon this heath you stop

our way with such prophetic greeting?

Whither are they vanished?

Into the air.

And what seemed corporal melted,

as breath into the wind.

Were such things here

as we do speak about?

Or have we eaten of the insane root

that takes reason prisoner?

Your children shall be kings.

You shall be king.

And Thane of Cawdor. Went it not so?

To the selfsame tune and words.

The Thane of Cawdor lives.

And to be king...

... stands not within

the prospect of belief.

No more than to be Cawdor.

The king hath happily received

the news of thy success.

Thick as hail came post with post,

and everyone did bear thy praises.

We are sent to give thee from

our royal master thanks, not pay thee.

And for an earnest of a greater

honour, he bade me call thee...

...Thane of Cawdor.

What?

Can the devil speak true?

He lives. Why do you

dress me in borrowed robes?

Who was the thane lives yet,

but that life he deserves to lose.

Treasons capital, confessed

and proved, have overthrown him.

Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor.

The greatest is behind.

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