ACT III.
Scene I. Forres. The palace.[4093]
Enter Banquo.
Ban. Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all,[4094]
As the weird women promised, and I fear[4095]
Thou play'dst most foully for't: yet it was said[4096]
It should not stand in thy posterity,
But that myself should be the root and father 5
Of many kings. If there come truth from them—
As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine—[4097]
Why, by the verities on thee made good,
May they not be my oracles as well
And set me up in hope? But hush, no more.[4098] 10
Sennet sounded. Enter Macbeth, as king; Lady Macbeth, as
queen; Lennox, Ross, Lords, Ladies, and Attendants.[4099]
Macb. Here's our chief guest.
Lady M. If he had been forgotten,
It had been as a gap in our great feast,
And all-thing unbecoming.[4100]
Macb. To-night we hold a solemn supper, sir,
And I'll request your presence.
Ban. Let your highness[4101] 15
Command upon me, to the which my duties[4102]
Are with a most indissoluble tie
For ever knit.
Macb. Ride you this afternoon?
Ban. Ay, my good lord.
Macb. We should have else desired your good advice,[4103] 20
Which still hath been both grave and prosperous,[4103]
In this day's council; but we'll take to-morrow.[4103][4104]
Is't far you ride?[4103][4105]
Ban. As far, my lord, as will fill up the time
'Twixt this and supper: go not my horse the better, 25
I must become a borrower of the night
For a dark hour or twain.
Macb. Fail not our feast.
Ban. My lord, I will not.
Macb. We hear our bloody cousins are bestow'd
In England and in Ireland, not confessing 30
Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers
With strange invention: but of that to-morrow,
When therewithal we shall have cause of state
Craving us jointly. Hie you to horse: adieu,[4106][4107]
Till you return at night. Goes Fleance with you?[4107] 35
Ban. Ay, my good lord: our time does call upon 's.[4108]
Macb. I wish your horses swift and sure of foot,
And so I do commend you to their backs.
Farewell. [Exit Banquo.
Let every man be master of his time 40
Till seven at night; to make society[4109]
The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself[4109][4110]
Till supper-time alone: while then, God be with you![4110][4111]
[Exeunt all but Macbeth and an Attendant.
Attend. They are, my lord, without the palace-gate.[4113]
Macb. Bring them before us. [Exit Attendant.[4114]
To be thus is nothing;[4115][4116]
But to be safely thus: our fears in Banquo[4116][4116]
Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature[4116]
Reigns that which would be fear'd: 'tis much he dares,[4116] 50
And, to that dauntless temper of his mind,
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour
To act in safety. There is none but he
Whose being I do fear: and under him
My Genius is rebuked, as it is said[4117] 55
Mark Antony's was by Cæsar. He chid the sisters,[4117][4118]
When first they put the name of king upon me,
And bade them speak to him; then prophet-like[4119]
They hail'd him father to a line of kings:
Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown 60
And put a barren sceptre in my gripe,
Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand,[4120]
No son of mine succeeding. If 't be so,[4121]
For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind;[4122][4123]
For them the gracious Duncan have I murder'd;[4123] 65
Put rancours in the vessel of my peace[4123]
Only for them, and mine eternal jewel[4123]
Given to the common enemy of man,[4123]
To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings![4123][4124]
Rather than so, come, fate, into the list, 70
And champion me to the utterance! Who's there?[4125]
Re-enter Attendant, with two Murderers.
Now go to the door, and stay there till we call.[4126]
[Exit Attendant.
Was it not yesterday we spoke together?
First Mur. It was, so please your highness.[4127]
Macb. Well then, now[4128]
Have you consider'd of my speeches? Know[4128][4129][4130] 75
That it was he in the times past which held you[4130]
So under fortune, which you thought had been[4130]
Our innocent self: this I made good to you[4130]
In our last conference, pass'd in probation with you,[4130][4131]
How you were borne in hand, how cross'd, the instruments,[4130] 80
Who wrought with them, and all things else that might[4130]
To half a soul and to a notion crazed
Say 'Thus did Banquo.'
First Mur. You made it known to us.[4132]
Macb. I did so; and went further, which is now[4133]
Our point of second meeting. Do you find[4133] 85
Your patience so predominant in your nature,[4133]
That you can let this go? Are you so gospell'd,[4133]
To pray for this good man and for his issue,[4133]
Whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave[4133]
And beggar'd yours for ever?[4133]
First Mur. We are men, my liege.[4133] 90
Macb. Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men;
As hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs,
Shoughs, water-rugs and demi-wolves, are clept[4134]
All by the name of dogs: the valued file
Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle, 95
The housekeeper, the hunter, every one
According to the gift which bounteous nature
Hath in him closed; whereby he does receive
Particular addition, from the bill[4135]
That writes them all alike: and so of men. 100
Now if you have a station in the file,
Not i' the worst rank of manhood, say it,[4136]
And I will put that business in your bosoms[4137]
Whose execution takes your enemy off,
Grapples you to the heart and love of us, 105
Who wear our health but sickly in his life,
Which in his death were perfect.[4138]
Sec. Mur. I am one, my liege,
Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world
Have so incensed that I am reckless what[4139]
I do to spite the world.[4139][4140]
First Mur. And I another 110
So weary with disasters, tugg'd with fortune,[4141]
That I would set my life on any chance,
To mend it or be rid on 't.
Both Mur. True, my lord.
Macb. So is he mine, and in such bloody distance 115
That every minute of his being thrusts
Against my near'st of life: and though I could
With barefaced power sweep him from my sight
And bid my will avouch it, yet I must not,
For certain friends that are both his and mine,[4143] 120
Whose loves I may not drop, but wail his fall[4143]
Who I myself struck down: and thence it is[4143][4144]
That I to your assistance do make love,
Masking the business from the common eye
For sundry weighty reasons.
Sec. Mur. We shall, my lord, 125
Perform what you command us.
First Mur. Though our lives—
Macb. Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour at most[4145]
I will advise you where to plant yourselves,[4146]
Acquaint you with the perfect spy o' the time,[4147]
The moment on 't; for 't must be done to-night, 130
And something from the palace; always thought[4148][4149]
That I require a clearness: and with him—[4149]
To leave no rubs nor botches in the work—
Fleance his son, that keeps him company,
Whose absence is no less material to me 135
Than is his father's, must embrace the fate
Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves apart:
I'll come to you anon.
Both Mur. We are resolved, my lord.[4150]
Macb. I'll call upon you straight: abide within.
[Exeunt Murderers.[4151]
It is concluded: Banquo, thy soul's flight, 140
If it find heaven, must find it out to-night. [Exit.[4152]
Scene II. The palace.[4153]
Enter Lady Macbeth and a Servant.[4154]
Lady M. Is Banquo gone from court?
Serv. Ay, madam, but returns again to-night.
Lady M. Say to the king, I would attend his leisure
For a few words.
Serv. Madam, I will. [Exit.
Lady M. Nought's had, all's spent,[4155]
Where our desire is got without content: 5
'Tis safer to be that which we destroy[4156]
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.
Enter Macbeth.
How now, my lord! why do you keep alone,[4157]
Of sorriest fancies your companions making;[4158]
Using those thoughts which should indeed have died 10
With them they think on? Things without all remedy[4159]
Should be without regard: what's done is done.
Macb. We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it:[4160]
She'll close and be herself, whilst our poor malice[4161]
Remains in danger of her former tooth. 15
But let the frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer,[4162]
Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep
In the affliction of these terrible dreams
That shake us nightly: better be with the dead,
Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace,[4163] 20
Than on the torture of the mind to lie
In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave;[4164]
After life's fitful fever he sleeps well;
Treason has done his worst: nor steel, nor poison,
Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing, 25
Can touch him further.[4165][4166]
Lady M. Come on;[4165]
Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks;[4165]
Be bright and jovial among your guests to-night.[4165][4167]
Lady M. You must leave this.[4168] 35
Macb. O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!
Thou know'st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives.[4173]
Lady M. But in them nature's copy's not eterne.[4174]
Macb. There's comfort yet; they are assailable;
Then be thou jocund: ere the bat hath flown 40
His cloister'd flight; ere to black Hecate's summons
The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums[4175]
Hath rung night's yawning peal, there shall be done[4176]
A deed of dreadful note.[4176]
Lady M. What's to be done?
Macb. Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, 45
Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night,[4177]
Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day,
And with thy bloody and invisible hand
Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond
Which keeps me pale! Light thickens, and the crow[4178][4179] 50
Makes wing to the rooky wood:[4179][4180]
Good things of day begin to droop and drowse,
Whiles night's black agents to their preys do rouse.[4181]
Thou marvell'st at my words: but hold thee still;
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill: 55
So, prithee, go with me. [Exeunt.
Scene III. A park near the palace.[4182]
Enter three Murderers.
First Mur. But who did bid thee join with us?
Third Mur. Macbeth.
Sec. Mur. He needs not our mistrust; since he delivers[4183]
Our offices, and what we have to do,
To the direction just.[4184]
First Mur. Then stand with us.[4184]
The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day: 5
Now spurs the lated traveller apace[4185]
To gain the timely inn, and near approaches[4186]
The subject of our watch.
Third Mur. Hark! I hear horses.
Ban. [Within] Give us a light there, ho!
First Mur. His horses go about.
Third Mur. Almost a mile: but he does usually—
So all men do—from hence to the palace gate[4192]
Make it their walk.
Sec. Mur. A light, a light![4193]
Enter Banquo, and Fleance with a torch.[4194]
First Mur. Stand to 't.[4193] 15
Ban. It will be rain to-night.[4195]
First Mur. Let it come down.
[They set upon Banquo.
Ban. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly![4196]
Thou mayst revenge. O slave! [Dies. Fleance escapes.[4197]
Third Mur. Who did strike out the light?
First Mur. Was't not the way?
Third Mur. There's but one down; the son is fled.
Sec. Mur. We have lost[4198]20
Best half of our affair.[4199]
First Mur. Well, let's away and say how much is done.[4199] [Exeunt.
Scene IV. Hall in the palace.[4200]
A banquet prepared. Enter Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Ross,
Lennox, Lords, and Attendants.[4201]