With a new Gorgon. Do not bid me speak.
See, and then speak yourselves.
Exeunt Macbeth and Lennox
Awake, awake!
Ring the alarum bell. Murder and treason!
Banquo and Donalbain, Malcolm, awake!
Shake off this downy sleep, death’s counterfeit,
And look on death itself. Up, up, and see
The great doom’s image. Malcolm, Banquo,
As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprites
To countenance this horror.
Bell rings. Enter Lady Macbeth
LADY MACBETH
What’s the business,
That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley
The sleepers of the house? Speak, speak.
MACDUFF
O gentle lady,
’Tis not for you to hear what I can speak.
The repetition in a woman’s ear
Would murder as it fell.
Enter Banquo
O Banquo, Banquo,
Our royal master’s murdered!
LADY MACBETH Woe,
alas—
What, in our house?
BANQUO
Too cruel anywhere.
Dear Duff, I prithee contradict thyself,
And say it is not so.
Enter Macbeth, Lennox, [and Ross]
MACBETH
Had I but died an hour before this chance
I had lived a blessed time, for from this instant
There’s nothing serious in mortality.
All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead.
The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees
Is left this vault to brag of.
Enter Malcolm and Donalbain
DONALBAIN What is amiss?
MACBETH You are, and do not know’t.
The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood
Is stopped, the very source of it is stopped.
MACDUFF
Your royal father’s murdered.
MALCOLM
O, by whom?
LENNOX
Those of his chamber, as it seemed, had done’t.
Their hands and faces were all badged with blood,
So were their daggers, which, unwiped, we found
Upon their pillows. They stared and were distracted.
No man’s life was to be trusted with them.
MACBETH
O, yet I do repent me of my fury
That I did kill them.
MACDUFF
Wherefore did you so?
MACBETH
Who can be wise, amazed, temp‘rate and furious,
Loyal and neutral in a moment? No man.
Th’expedition of my violent love
Outran the pauser, reason. Here lay Duncan,
His silver skin laced with his golden blood,
And his gashed stabs looked like a breach in nature
For ruin’s wasteful entrance; there the murderers,
Steeped in the colours of their trade, their daggers
Unmannerly breeched with gore. Who could refrain,
That had a heart to love, and in that heart
Courage to make ’s love known?
LADY MACBETH
Help me hence, ho!
MACDUFF
Look to the lady.
MALCOLM (aside to Donalbain)
Why do we hold our tongues,
That most may claim this argument for ours?
DONALBAIN (aside to Malcolm)
What should be spoken here, where our fate,
Hid in an auger-hole, may rush and seize us?
Let’s away. Our tears are not yet brewed.
MALCOLM (aside to Donalbain)
Nor our strong sorrow
Upon the foot of motion.
BANQUO
Look to the lady; Exit Lady Macbeth, attended
And when we have our naked frailties hid,
That suffer in exposure, let us meet
And question this most bloody piece of work,
To know it further. Fears and scruples shake us.
In the great hand of God I stand, and thence
Against the undivulged pretence I fight
Of treasonous malice.
MACDUFF
And SO do I.
ALL
SO all.
MACBETH
Let’s briefly put on manly readiness,
And meet i’th’ hall together.
ALL
Well contented.
Exeunt all but Malcolm and Donalbain
MALCOLM
What will you do? Let’s not consort with them.
To show an unfelt sorrow is an office
Which the false man does easy. I’ll to England.
DONALBAIN
To Ireland, I. Our separated fortune
Shall keep us both the safer. Where we are
There’s daggers in men’s smiles. The nea’er in blood,
The nearer bloody.
MALCOLM
This murderous shaft that’s shot
Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way
Is to avoid the aim. Therefore to horse,
And let us not be dainty of leave-taking,
But shift away. There’s warrant in that theft
Which steals itself when there’s no mercy left. Exeunt
2.4 Enter Ross with an Old Man
OLD MAN
Threescore and ten I can remember well,
Within the volume of which time I have seen
Hours dreadful and things strange, but this sore night
Hath trifled former knowings.
Ross Ha,
good father,
Thou seest the heavens, as troubled with man’s act,
Threatens his bloody stage. By th’ clock ’tis day,
And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp.
Is’t night’s predominance or the day’s shame
That darkness does the face of earth entomb
When living light should kiss it?
OLD MAN
’Tis unnatural,
Even like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday last
A falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place,
Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed.
ROSS
And Duncan’s horses—a thing most strange and
certain—
Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race,
Turned wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out,
Contending ’gainst obedience, as they would
Make war with mankind.
OLD MAN
’Tis said they ate each other.
ROSS
They did so, to th’amazement of mine eyes
That looked upon’t.
Enter Macduff
Here comes the good Macduff.
How goes the world, sir, now?
MACDUFF
Why, see you not?
ROSS
Is’t known who did this more than bloody deed?
MACDUFF
Those that Macbeth hath slain.
Ross
Alas the day,
What good could they pretend?
MACDUFF
They were suborned.
Malcolm and Donalbain, the King’s two sons,
Are stol’n away and fled, which puts upon them
Suspicion of the deed.
Ross
’Gainst nature still.
Thriftless ambition, that will raven up
Thine own life’s means! Then ’tis most like
The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth.
MACDUFF
He is already named and gone to Scone
To be invested.
Ross Where is Duncan’s body?
MACDUFF Carried to Colmekill,
The sacred storehouse of his predecessors,
And guardian of their bones.
Ross
Will
you to Scone?
MACDUFF
No, cousin, I’ll to Fife.
ROSS
Well, I will thither.
MACDUFF
Well, may you see things well done there. Adieu,
Lest our old robes sit easier than our new.
Ross Farewell, father.
OLD MAN
God’s benison go with you, and with those
That would make good of bad, and friends of foes.
Exeunt severally
3.1 Enter Banquo
BANQUO
Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all
As the weird women promised; and I fear
Thou played’st most foully for’t. Yet it was said
It should not stand in thy posterity,
But that myself should be the root and father
Of many kings. If there come truth from them—
As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine-
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.
Sennet sounded. Enter Macbeth as King, Lady Macbeth
as Queen, Lennox, Ross, lords, and attendants
MACBETH
Here’s our chief guest.
LADY MACBETH
If he had been forgotten
It had been as a gap in our great feast,
And all-thing unbecoming.
MACBETH (to Banquo)
Tonight we hold a solemn supper, sir,
And I’ll request your presence.
BANQUO
Let your highness
Command upon me, to the which my duties
Are with a most indissoluble tie
For ever knit.
MACBETH Ride you this afternoon?
BANQUO Ay, my good lord.
MACBETH
We should have else desired your good advice,
Which still hath been both grave and prosperous,
In this day’s council; but we’ll talk tomorrow.
Is’t far you ride?
BANQUO
As far, my lord, as will fill up the time
’Twixt this and supper. Go not my horse the better,
I must become a borrower of the night
For a dark hour or twain.
MACBETH Fail not our feast.
BANQUO My lord, I will not.
MACBETH
We hear our bloody cousins are bestowed
In England and in Ireland, not confessing
Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers
With strange invention. But of that tomorrow,
When therewithal we shall have cause of state
Craving us jointly. Hie you to horse. Adieu,
Till you return at night. Goes Fleance with you?
BANQUO
Ay, my good lord. Our time does call upon ’s.
MACBETH
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
Till seven at night. To make society
The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself
Till supper-time alone. While then, God be with you.
Exeunt all but Macbeth and a Servant
Sirrah, a word with you. Attend those men
Our pleasure?
SERVANT
They are, my lord, without the palace gate.
MACBETH
Bring them before us. Exit Servant
To be thus is nothing
But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature
Reigns that which would be feared. ‘Tis much he dares,
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,
Mark Antony’s was by Caesar. He chid the sisters
When first they put the name of king upon me,
And bade them speak to him. Then, prophet-like,
They hailed him father to a line of kings.
Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown,
And put a barren sceptre in my grip,
Thence to be wrenched with an unlineal hand,
No son of mine succeeding. If’t be so,
For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind,
For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered,
Put rancours in the vessel of my peace
Only for them, and mine eternal jewel
Given to the common enemy of man
To make them kings, the seeds of Banquo kings.
Rather than so, come fate into the list
And champion me to th’utterance. Who’s there?
Enter Servant and two Murderers
(To the Servant) Now go to the door, and stay there till
we call.
Exit Servant
Was it not yesterday we spoke together?
MURDERERS
It was, so please your highness.
MACBETH
Well then, now
Have you considered of my speeches? Know
That it was he in the times past which held you
So under fortune, which you thought had been
Our innocent self. This I made good to you
In our last conference, passed in probation with you
How you were borne in hand, how crossed, the
instruments,
Who wrought with them, and all things else that
might
To half a soul, and to a notion crazed,
Say ‘Thus did Banquo’.
FIRST MURDERER
You made it known to us.
MACBETH
I did so, and went further, which is now
Our point of second meeting. Do you find
Your patience so predominant in your nature
That you can let this go? Are you so gospelled
To pray for this good man and for his issue,
Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave
And beggared yours for ever?
FIRST MURDERER
We are men, my liege.
MACBETH
Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men,
As hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs,
Shoughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves are clept
All by the name of dogs. The valued file
Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle,
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
That writes them all alike. And so of men.
Now, if you have a station in the file,
Not i‘th’ worst rank of manhood, say’t,
And I will put that business in your bosoms
Whose execution takes your enemy off,
Grapples you to the heart and love of us,
Who wear our health but sickly in his life,
Which in his death were perfect.
SECOND MURDERER
I am one, my liege,
Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world
Hath so incensed that I am reckless what
I do to spite the world.
FIRST MURDERER
And I another,
So weary with disasters, tugged with fortune,
That I would set my life on any chance
To mend it or be rid on’t.
MACBETH
Both of you
Know Banquo was your enemy.
MURDERERS
True, my lord.
MACBETH
So is he mine, and in such bloody distance
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,
Whose loves I may not drop, but wail his fall
Who I myself struck down. And thence it is
That I to your assistance do make love,
Masking the business from the common eye
For sundry weighty reasons.
SECOND MURDERER
We shall, my lord,
Perform what you command us.
FIRST MURDERER
Though our lives—
MACBETH
Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour at most
I will advise you where to plant yourselves,
Acquaint you with the perfect spy o‘th’ time,
The moment on’t; for’t must be done tonight,
And something from the palace; always thought
That I require a clearness; and with him,
To leave no rubs nor botches in the work,
Fleance, his son, that keeps him company—
Whose absence is no less material to me
Than is his father’s—must embrace the fate
Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves apart.
I’ll come to you anon.
MURDERERS
We are resolved, my lord.
MACBETH
I’ll call upon you straight. Abide within.
Exeunt Murderers
It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul’s flight,
If it find heaven, must find it out tonight. Exit
3.2 Enter Lady Macbeth and a Servant
LADY MACBETH Is Banquo gone from court?
SERVANT
Ay, madam, but returns again tonight.
LADY MACBETH
Say to the King I would attend his leisure
For a few words.
SERVANT Madam, I will.
Exit
LADY MACBETH Naught’s had, all’s spent,
Where our desire is got without content.
’Tis safer to be that which we destroy
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.
Enter Macbeth
How now, my lord, why do you keep alone,
Of sorriest fancies your companions making,
Using those thoughts which should indeed have died
With them they think on? Things without all remedy
Should be without regard. What’s done is done.
MACBETH
We have scorched the snake, not killed it.
She’ll close and be herself, whilst our poor malice
Remains in danger of her former tooth.
But let the frame of things disjoint, both the worlds
suffer,
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,
The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works Page 315
