At a camp near Forres, Duncan, King of Scotland, greets his sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, along with Lennox, a Scottish thane, or lord. The three men bring in a bleeding captain who has news of the war with Norway. The captain tells the king that Macbeth was fighting honorably against the Norwegian invaders last he saw.
But the captain does not know the outcome of the battle. After the king sends the captain away to have his wounds tended, Ross and Angus, two other Scottish thanes, come in with news of victory over Norway. They also tell the king that the Thane of Cawdor turned traitor and sided with Norway during the battle. Duncan decides to give Cawdor's title to Macbeth for his valor and bravery in battle.
