Read this passage from act v. from the tragedy of macbeth by william shakespeare macbeth. accursèd be that tongue that tells me so, for it hath cowed my better part of man! and be these juggling fiends no more believed, that palter with us in a double sense; that keep the word of promise to our ear, and break it to our hope. i’ll not fight with thee. what do these lines suggest about the beliefs of the time in which the tragedy of macbeth was written? people believed in the power of curses. people were afraid of witches. people believed in the power of prophecies. people had respect for their king. people were afraid of witches. people believed in the power of prophecies. people had respect for their king.