Who are the associates of the three witches in Macbeth?
The main associate of the witches in Macbeth is Hecate, the Greek goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, ghosts, and necromancy (communicating with the dead to predict the future).
The first witch also has an associate called Graymalkin, the second Paddock, the third Harpier. Finally, there are their "masters," the three...
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apparitions.
I presume the question has to do with Graymalkin, Paddock, and Harpier, though. "Graymalkin" means "gray cat"; "malkin" is a nickname for Matilda or Maud, presumably the cat's name. "Paddock" is a toad. "Harpier" is a harpy, which is another word for "harpy," a creature from Greek mythology with the head and body of a woman and the talons of a bird.
During Shakespeare's time, it was believed that Satan would send witches spirits to help them carry out their evil deeds. The spirits were known as "familiars" and were thought to appear in animal form.