In the play Macbeth by William Skakespeare, why do the Witches say they will meet "When the battle's lost and won?"Could they be saying this...

I love this question!  Let's look at the complete line in
context.  This line is part of conversation that opens the play, so there is no
preceding text or scene to use as any sort of reference
point.

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First
Witch

When shall we three meet
again?

In thunder, lightning or in
rain?

Second
Witch

When the hurlybury's
done.

When the battle's lost and
won.

Third
Witch

That will be ere the set of
sun.

First
Witch

Where the
place?

Second
Witch

Upon the
heath.

Third
Witch

There to meet with
Macbeth.

They are definitely
planning to meet with Macbeth.  So, it is probably a safe bet to imagine that this line
refers in some way to that meeting and what they are meeting him
for.

If the Witches can, in fact, see into the future, then
they know already what will befall Macbeth in the course of the play.  The death of the
Thane of Cawdor in the very battle scene that they are standing over in Act I, scene i,
is the instigating action that will set in motion all the events of the play.  It is
similar to a victory in battle for Macbeth.  He will be made the next Thane of Cawdor,
which is quite an honor.

But this same victory or "battle
won," could be seen simultaneously as a "lost" battle, since it is being made Thane of
Cawdor which leads Macbeth to make all the self-destructive decisions (beginning with
murdering King Duncan) that comprise the majority of his action in the
play.

The Witches play a huge role in the idea of Macbeth's
decisions as battles "lost and won," because it is their predictions, both that Macbeth
will be made Thane of Cawdor and become King, that spurs Macbeth's
ambition.

So, though the Witches are standing amidst the
literal debris of a battle as they speak this text about a battle "lost and won," it
seems a pretty good bet that they are referring to Macbeth and his future course of
action.