MACBETH

from William Shakespeare

 

1.         Dopo la battaglia contro norvegesi,

I generali scozzesi Banquo e  Macbeth  lasciano il campo  vittoriosi

 

ACT 1 Scene 1 A camp near Forrest – Scotland

Enter Banquo and Macbeth

 

BANQUO        It has been a big fight! The Norwegians wanted to take     Scotland from Duncan. They came across the sea with their ships…

 

MACBETH       … and went back home in their boats! Ah!Ah!Ah!

              Duncan is still our beloved king!

 

BANQUO        Yes! We had a big victory but too many dead also!

 

MACBETH       You’re right. A good day and a bad day!

 

2.           Ế un buon giorno, ma anche un cattivo giorno!

L’incontro di Macbeth e Banquo con le tre streghe cambierà il loro destino

 

ACT 1 Scene 2 Same place

Enter the 3 witches

 

BANQUO        Who are you? What do you want?

 

MACBETH       Speak! What are you?

 

1st WITCH      Hail, Macbeth, Lord of Glamis!

 

2nd WITCH      Hail, Macbeth, Lord of Cawdor!

 

3rd WITCH      Hail, Macbeth, King of Scotland!

 

BANQUO        (to Macbeth) Why do you fear things that sound so nice? They speak to you as Lord of Cawdor and King of Scotland…

              (to the witches) Now, speak to me, please.

 

1st WITCH      Hail!

2nd WITCH      Hail!

3rd WITCH      Hail!

1st WITCH      Lesser than Macbeth, and greater!

2nd WITCH      Not so happier, yet much happier!

3rd WITCH      You shall get kings, though you’ll be none!

ALL WITCHES   Goodbye, Macbeth! Goodbye, Banquo!

Exeunt

 

MACBETH       (to the witches) Stay. Don’t go. Tell me more…

Witches vanish

              (aside) I am Lord of Glamis now, I Know that. But Lord of Cawdor? The Lord of Cawdor is still alive…

And King of Scotland? King Duncan is alive too and he has got two sons!

 

3.     Il destino di Macbeth sembra  tracciato ma irrealizzabile

 

BANQUO        (looking for the witches) Where are they?

 

MACBETH       They went into the air as breath into the wind.

 

BANQUO        Was it true? Were they here?

 

MACBETH       Your sons will be kings.

 

BANQUO        And YOU will be KING!

 

MACBETH       (worried) … and first Lord of Cawdor. But how?

 

4.      L’oggetto del desiderio è la corona di Scozia.

Intanto arriva la notizia della nomina di Macbeth come nuovo Lord di Cawdor

 

ACT 1 Scene 3

Enter Ross and Angus, two Scottish Lords

 

ROSS          Macbeth, the King has received the news of your success.

 

ANGUS         We give you his royal thanks.

 

ROSS          He’s going to make you Lord of Cawdor.

 

MACBETH       What? The Lord of Cawdor is still alive.

 

ANGUS         Yes, but he will die.

 

ROSS          He helped the Norwegians and now he’s under judgement.

Exeunt Ross and Angus

 

MACBETH       (to Banquo) Do you hope your child will be king, now?

(aside) Were the three old women right or wrong? Good or bad? Come what may come.

(to Banquo) Let’s go to the king, my friend.

Exeunt Macbeth and Banquo

 

5.      Macbeth è ormai dominato dall’ambizione.

Potrà ora sperare di diventare anche Re?

 

ACT 1 Scene 4 A room in Forrest Palace

Enter King Duncan, his sons  Malcolm and Donalbain;

Lennox, a nobleman

 

 

6.   Commentando l’esecuzione di Cawdor,

 Re Duncan si rende conto con amarezza che sotto un viso amico

 si può nascondere un traditore.

 

DUNCAN        Is the Lord of Cawdor dead?

 

MALCOLM       My father, they said he confessed his treasons and was executed.

DUNCAN        There’s no art to find the mind construction in a face! I thought he was my friend, but I was wrong.

 

Enter Macbeth, Banquo, Angus and Ross

 

7.         Di fronte alla corte Re Duncan nomina suo successore il figlio Malcolm e annuncia  la sua visita al castello di Macbeth

per onorarlo con il nuovo titolo di Lord Cawdor.

 

              Oh, Macbeth, dear cousin, welcome. Your due is more than all can pay.

 

MACBETH      The service, and the loyalty I have in doing it, pays itself.

 

DUNCAN        (to Banquo) And many thanks for your help, noble Banquo.

 

BANQUO        You are my Lord.

 

DUNCAN        Here in front of you, my dear lords, I name my son Malcolm the Prince of Cumberland.

In this great day the signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine on all my faithful friends.

(to Macbeth) I will come to your house this night, Macbeth.

 

MACBETH       Thank you, my king. Let me go home to Inverness and tell my wife you are coming.

 

DUNCAN        My worthy Cawdor!

 

MACBETH       (aside) The Prince of Cumberland, Malcolm, is on my way. Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires.

 

8.   Stelle, nascondete I vostri fuochi! Che la luce non veda i miei

cupi e segreti desideri.

Exit

DUNCAN        Let’s go to the banquet Macbeth is preparing for us.

Exeunt

 

ACT 1 Scene 5 Inverness. Macbeth’s castle

Enter Lady Macbeth, reading a letter

 

 

9.      Lady Macbeth sta leggendo l’ultimo passo della lettera

 in cui il consorte le racconta l’incontro con le streghe

e la profezia di un destino regale

 

LADY MACBETH  (reading a letter) “… the three witches saluted me as Lord of Cawdor and then as King of Scotland… Later Ross and Angus came from the King hailing me with the same title… My dear partner of greatness please… lay this news to your heart and farewell.”

              (aside) … You are Glamis and Cawdor, and you shall be what you are promised.

 

Yet, I fear your nature. It is too full of the milk of human kindness to take the nearest way. You are not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it!

 

10. Eppur temo la tua natura, troppo piena del latte dell’umana gentilezza

 per prendere la via più breve.

 

              May I pour my spirits in your ear with my words, and help you to get the golden crown that fate seems to have given you.

 

11.      Possa io versare il mio spirito nel tuo orecchio con le mie parole

 e aiutarti a ottenere la corona dorata che il destino sembra averti donato.

 

ACT 1 Scene 6 Same place

Enter Macbeth

 

LADY MACBETH  Great Glamis, Lord of Cawdor!

 

MACBETH       My dearest love, Duncan comes here tonight.

 

LADY MACBETH  And when is he going away?

 

MACBETH       Tomorrow, as he purposes.

 

LADY MACBETH  Oh, never shall sun that morrow see.

              Your hand and your tongue look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it.

 

12.    Che la tua mano e la tua lingua sembrino un casto fiore,

ma siano la serpe che si nasconde sotto.

 

MACBETH       We must speak further.

 

LADY MACBETH  Only look up clear, leave all the rest to me.

Exit Macbeth

ACT 1 Scene 7 Same place

 

Enter King Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Banquo,

Lennox, Macduff, Ross and Angus

 

13.     Re Duncan arriva al castello di Inverness, accolto da Lady Macbeth

 

DUNCAN        Our honoured hostess. Thank you for your trouble.

 

LADY MACBETH  All our service twice done were poor business against those deep honours wherewith your majesty loads our house.

 

DUNCAN        Where’s the Lord of Cawdor? We love him highly. Fair  and noble hostess, we are your guest tonight. Give me your hand and conduct me to my host.

Exeunt all

 

ACT 1 Scene 8 Inverness. A room in the castle

 

Enter Macbeth. Enter servants with dishes and service.

14.     La coscienza morale di Macbeth, il suo senso dell’onore

sembrano prevalere sull’ambizione

 

MACBETH       (aside) If it were done when it is done, then it were well, it were done quickly.

              Duncan is here in double trust: first, as I am his cousin and his subject, strong both against the deed; then, as his host, I should shut the door against his murderer, not bear the knife myself.

 

Enter Lady Macbeth

15.    L’intervento di Lady Macbeth rimuove ogni dubbio.

La moglie diventa aiutante e complice

 

LADY MACBETH  Dinner has just finished. Why have you left the table?

 

MACBETH       We will proceed no further in this business. He has honoured me and I have bought golden opinion from all sort of people.

 

LADY MACBETH  Do you fear to be the same in your act and valour as you are in desire?

 

MACBETH       … if we should fail…

 

LADY MACBETH  When the king is asleep and his chamberlains drunk on wine, what cannot you and I perform upon the unguarded Duncan.

 

MACBETH       Then a false face must hide what the false heart knows.

 

16.   Poi un falso viso dovrà nascondere quello che un falso cuore conosce

Exeunt all

 

 

 

Act 2  Scene 1     Inverness. Night in the Court of the Castle

Enter Banquo and Fleance with a torch

17.  E’ notte, mentre Re Duncan dorme,  i suoi sudditi vegliano su di lui

 

BANQUO        How does the night go?

 

FLEANCE       The moon is down, I have not heard the clock.

 

Enter Macbeth

 

BANQUO        Who’s there?

 

MACBETH       A friend.

 

BANQUO        Not yet at rest, sir? The king’s in bed.

I dreamt of the three witches. They showed some truth to you…

 

MACBETH       I  don’t think of them. We will spend some words about that business later, if you want. Now, good night.

 

BANQUO        Thanks sir and good night.

 

Exeunt all

 

ACT 2 Scene 2 Inverness. Night. In the Castle

 

18.   Quello che doveva avvenire è già avvenuto, Macbeth lo annuncia alla moglie

                           

Enter Lady Macbeth

 

LADY MACBETH  Listen! It is the owl…

 

Enter Macbeth, looking at his hands

 

MACBETH       I’ve done the deed.

A voice cried Macbeth has murdered the innocent sleep, Macbeth shall sleep no more.

 

19.   Una voce ha gridato, Macbeth ha ucciso il sonno innocente,

Macbeth non dormirà più.

 

LADY MACBETH  Stop it. So it will make us mad.

              Get some water and wash your hand.

              … And these daggers? They must lie there…

 

MACBETH       I’ll go no more.

 

LADY MACBETH  Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead are as pictures; only the eyes of a child fear a painted devil.

 

Exit Lady Macbeth

 

MACBETH       Will all the ocean wash this blood from my hand?

 

Re-enter Lady Macbeth

 

LADY MACBETH  My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white.

Knocking

MACBETH       They are knocking. I would like they could wake King Duncan.

20.    Ora  Macbeth è dominato dal rimorso, che lo porterà alla follia

 

Exeunt all

 

ACT 2 Scene 3 Next day. Same place

Enter Macduff, Lennox and Macbeth

 

LENNOX        Good morning, sir.

 

MACDUFF      Good morning. Is the King getting up? I must speak to him.

 

MACBETH       Not yet. I’ll bring you to him.

 

Exit Macduff, knocking the door. A cry.

Exeunt Macbeth and Lennox.

Re-enter Macduff, white in face.

 

MACDUFF       Horror! Alarm! Murder and treason! Awake! Awake!

Enter Lady Macbeth, Malcolm and Donalbain.

 

              The King is murdered!

 

Re-enter Banquo and Macbeth

 

BANQUO        Killed by his men: their faces and daggers were covered with blood…

 

MACBETH       … and I Killed them.

 

LADY MACBETH  What? In our house? Oh, help me…

 

Lady Macbeth is carried out.

Exeunt all but Malcolm and Donalbain

21.  Scoperto l’assassinio di Re Duncan,

i figli cercano sicurezza  lontano dalla Scozia,

poiché lì ci sono pugnali nascosti dietro al sorriso degli uomini

 

MALCOLM       We are in danger, brother. What will you do?

              I’ll go to England.

 

DONALBAIN     In Scotland there are daggers in men’s smiles.

              I’ll go to Ireland.

Exeunt all

ACT 2 Scene 4 Later.

Enter Macduff and Ross

 

ROSS          Is it known who did this more than bloody deed?

 

MACDUFF       Those that Macbeth killed, but suspicion of the deed is upon Malcolm and Donalbain, the king’s two sons.

 

ROSS          His own sons? Who will reign now?

 

MACDUFF       Macbeth is already named and gone to be invested king.       Exeunt

ACT 3 Scene 1 A room in Forres Palace

Enter Banquo

22.    Banquo si rende conto che la profezia per Macbeth si è avverata  e si domanda  quale è stato il prezzo.

 

BANQUO        (aside)  Macbeth, you are Glamis, Cawdor ad King now, as the three witches promised. I fear you played too much for it!

              But if truth came from them for you, maybe I can hope for me…

 

Enter Macbeth as king, Lady Macbeth as queen, Lennox, Ross

 

LADY MACBETH  Here’s our chief guest.

 

MACBETH       (to Banquo) Tonight we have a solemn dinner, sir, and we’ll request your presence. See you later.

 

BANQUO        Farewell, my king.

Exit Banquo

Exeunt all but Macbeth

 

MACBETH       (aside) Prophet-like, the three witches hailed Banquo as father of kings. If it will be so, I have murdered Duncan for his sons!

 

23.  Macbeth  è costretto a mentire e uccidere ancora in un seguito rapido di sanguinosi misfatti che egli rifiuta di chiamare assassini

Enter two murderers

 

MACBETH       Banquo is your enemy.

 

1ST MAN        True, my Lord.

 

MACBETH       So is he mine!

 

2nd MAN        We shall perform what you command us.

 

MACBETH       Go and do the deed. And remember that his son Fleance must embrace the same fate.

 

Exeunt murderers

 

              (aside) Banquo, your soul’s flying.

              If it finds heaven, it must find it tonight!

Exit

 

ACT 3 Scene 2 The banquet room in the Forres Palace

 

Enter Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Ross, Lennox

24.  Durante il banchetto Macbeth è tormentato dal fantasma di Banquo,

 che appare solo a lui

 

MACBETH       Please, my lords, sit down and welcome.

 

Enter the murderers and stand near the door.

Macbeth approaches them.

 

MACBETH       There’s blood on your face!

 

1st MAN        It’s Banquo’s blood.

 

2ND MAN        His throat is cut… but his son is escaped!

 

LADY MACBETH  Come, my lord. Sit and talk to your friends.

 

Enter the Ghost of Banquo and sits in Macbeth’s place.

 

MACBETH       There’s no place for me.

 

LENNOX        Here it is, my king and lord. Look.

 

MACBETH       (to the Ghost) Don’t look at me. You can’t say that I did it.

 

LADY MACBETH  (to the nobles) The king is not well, my friends. He will be son well. Please, start dinner.

              (to Macbeth) Why do you make such faces?

 

Ghost vanishes

 

MACBETH       I saw him.

 

LADY MACBETH  (to Macbeth) My worthy lord, please come and have dinner with your friends.

 

MACBETH       Yes. I drink to you, my dear lords and to my friend Banquo, who is not here!

 

Re-enter the Ghost of Banquo

 

              Let the earth hide you! Your blood is cold, now. Horrible shadow!

 

ROSS          What’s wrong, my king?

 

LADY MACBETH  I pray you, don’t speak to him. He’s getting worse and worse. Please, let him have a rest.

 

LENNOX        Good night, my lady. Good night, my lord.

 

ANGUS         Good night, my king.

 

LADY MACBETH  A good night to all of you.

 

Exeunt all but Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

 

MACBETH       Macduff wasn’t at our dinner. Do you know why?

 

LADY MACBETH  You need some sleep. Come to bed, now.

 

MACBETH       (aside) Tomorrow I will speak to the three witches.

 

Exeunt Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

ACT 4 Scene 1 A cavern

 

25.  Le tre streghe di nuovo interpellate da Macbeth gli rivelano un futuro apparentemente favorevole:

nessun nato da donna potrà nuocergli fino a che

 la foresta di Dunsinane non gli verrà incontro

 

Enter the three witches.

In the middle a cauldron is boiling

 

ALL           Double, double toil and trouble

              Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

 

1st WITCH      Fenny snake,

              boil and bake,

 

2nd WITCH      with toe of frog

              and tongue of dog

 

3RD WITCH      and blind-worm’s sting

              and howlet’s wing.

 

ALL           Double, double toil and trouble;

              Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

 

1st WITCH      The charm is firm and good

 

2nd WITCH      By the prickling of my thumbs,

              something wicked this way comes.

 

3RD WITCH      Open locks,

              whoever knocks.

 

Knocking. Enter Macbeth

 

MACBETH       I pray you, answer me.

              Tell me the unknown…

 

1st WITCH      Macbeth, Macbeth, beware Macduff!

 

2nd WITCH      None of woman born shall harm you.

 

3RD WITCH      You’ll never be won until

              great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill

              shall come against you.

 

MACBETH       That is impossible!

              Tell me about Banquo’s son…

 

ALL           Try to know no more!

 

The three witches vanish

 

Exit Macbeth

 

ACT 4 Scene 2 A room into Forres Castle

 

Enter Lennox and Macbeth

 

LENNOX        My Lord, I bring you some news. Macduff has fled to England.

 

MACBETH       To England? So Macduff is a traitor.

              I will surprise his castle and kill his family!

              (aside) To crown my thoughts with act,

              be it thought and done.

 

Exeunt all

 

ACT 4  Scene 3  England. In front of the king’s palace

 

Enter Malcolm and Macduff

26.  Macduff scopre che Macbeth ha sterminto la sua famiglia

e si allea con il principe Malcolm per sconfiggerlo in battaglia

MALCOLM       Macbeth is a tyrant.

              England offered me thousands of soldiers.

 

MACDUFF       Ten thousand men are arriving to help you.

 

Enter Ross

ROSS          (to Macduff) Dear friend, I have bad news for you. Your castle has been surprised and your wife and children and servants killed.

 

MACDUFF       My wife and my babies! Noooo!

              I will be front to front with Macbeth!

              And if he escapes, heaven will forgive him too!

Exeunt all

 

ACT 5 Scene 1 Scotland. A room in Dunsinane Castle

 

Enter Macbeth and Seyton

 

SEYTON        Siward is arriving with ten thousand soldiers.

 

MACBETH       Give me my armour.

 

Exit Seyton

Enter servants with Macbeth’s armour

(A cry of a woman)

Re-enter Seyton

MACBETH       What was that cry?

 

SEYTON        My lord, Lady Macbeth is dead.

 

MACBETH       Life is but a walking shadow; it’s a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

              signifying nothing.

Enter a messenger

MESSENGER     Sir, pardon, my Lord, my King…

              … a strange thing I saw from the tower…

              … the wood, Birnam wood, began to move,

              Sir, my King,… towards Dunsinane.

 

MACBETH       If you speak false, I will hang you alive on the next tree.

              (aside) The witches were right.

              Ring the alarm-bell. Arm, arm and out.

 

27.  Lady Macbeth si  è uccisa non sopportando la sconfitta imminente.

Macbeth vede affrontare il suo destino ormai solo, ora che la foresta  di Birnam si presenta davanti a lui, nascondendo le armate del rivale Malcolm

 

Exeunt all

 

ACT 5 Scene 2  A plain in front of the Castle

             

Enter Macbeth and Siward

 

SIWARD        What’s your name, sir?

 

MACBETH       Macbeth.

 

SIWARD       The devil himself could not pronounce a more hateful name.

 

They fight and Siward falls down killed.

 

MACBETH       You were born of woman.

 

 

 

28.  Siward viene ucciso, ma è Macduff l’uomo da temere:

alla nascita fu strappato dal ventre di sua madre prima del tempo.

E’ lui il “non nato da donna” che sconfiggendo Macbeth

compirà la profezia delle tre streghe

 

Enter Macduff and Ross

 

MACBETH       You were born of woman, too.

 

MACDUFF       Sorry, but I was ripped from my mother’s womb.

 

MACBETH       Nooo, it’s impossible.

              I will not fight with you.

 

MACDUFF       You killed my family, fight, coward!

 

They fight and Macbeth falls down killed.

Enter Malcolm, Donalbain and Lords

 

MALCOLM       My proud Macduff, you’ve killed the tyrant Macbeth!

 

MACDUFF       At your service, my Lord:

              I’m your faithful servant, my King.

 

ROSS          Hail, Malcolm, King of Scotland!

 

ALL           Hail, Malcolm, King of Scotland!

 

MALCOLM       Thank you, my friends. We invite you to Scone Castle to see us crowned. Let’s go.

 

Exeunt all