The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 315

Exeunt all but Macbeth and an Attendant.

Sirrah, a word with you. Attend those men Our pleasure?

ATTENDANT. They are, my lord, without the palace gate.

MACBETH. Bring them before us. Exit Attendant.

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 fear'd. 'Tis much he dares, And, to that dauntless temper of his mind, He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valor 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 hail'd him father to a line of kings.

Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown And put a barren sceptre in my gripe, Thence to be wrench'd 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 murther'd, Put rancors 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 seed of Banquo kings!

Rather than so, come, Fate, into the list, And champion me to the utterance! Who's there?

Re-enter Attendant, with two Murtherers.

Now go to the door, and stay there till we call.

Exit Attendant.

Was it not yesterday we spoke together?

FIRST MURTHERER. It was, so please your Highness.

MACBETH. Well then, now Have you consider'd 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, pa.s.s'd in probation with you: How you were borne in hand, how cross'd, 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 MURTHERER. 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 gospel'd, To pray for this good man and for his issue, Whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave And beggar'd yours forever?

FIRST MURTHERER. We are men, my liege.

MACBETH. Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men, As hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs, Shoughs, waterrugs, 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' the worst rank of manhood, say it, 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 MURTHERER. I am one, my liege, Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world Have so incensed that I am reckless what I do to spite the world.

FIRST MURTHERER. And I another So weary with disasters, tugg'd 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.

BOTH MURTHERERS. True, my lord.

MACBETH. So is he mine, and in such b.l.o.o.d.y 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 a.s.sistance do make love, Masking the business from the common eye For sundry weighty reasons.

SECOND MURTHERER. We shall, my lord, Perform what you command us.

FIRST MURTHERER. Though our lives- MACBETH. Your spirits s.h.i.+ne through you. Within this hour at most I will advise you where to plant yourselves, Acquaint you with the perfect spy o' the time, The moment on't; fort 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.

BOTH MURTHERERS. We are resolved, my lord.

MACBETH. I'll call upon you straight. Abide within.

Exeunt Murtherers.

It is concluded: Banquo, thy soul's flight, If it find heaven, must find it out tonight. Exit.

SCENE II.

The palace.

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. Nought'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 scotch'd the snake, not kill'd 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, Than on the torture of the mind to lie In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave; After life's fitful fever he sleeps well.

Treason has done his worst; nor steel, nor poison, Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing, Can touch him further.

LADY MACBETH. Come on, Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks; Be bright and jovial among your guests tonight.

MACBETH. So shall I, love, and so, I pray, be you.

Let your remembrance apply to Banquo; Present him eminence, both with eye and tongue: Unsafe the while, that we Must lave our honors in these flattering streams, And make our faces vizards to our hearts, Disguising what they are.

LADY MACBETH. You must leave this.

MACBETH. O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!

Thou know'st that Banquo and his Fleance lives.

LADY MACBETH. But in them nature's copy's not eterne.

MACBETH. There's comfort yet; they are a.s.sailable.

Then be thou jocund. Ere the bat hath flown His cloister'd flight, ere to black Hecate's summons The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums Hath rung night's yawning peal, there shall be done A deed of dreadful note.

LADY MACBETH. What's to be done?

MACBETH. Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night, Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day, And with thy b.l.o.o.d.y and invisible hand Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond Which keeps me pale! Light thickens, and the crow Makes wing to the rooky wood; Good things of day begin to droop and drowse, Whiles night's black agents to their preys do rouse.

Thou marvel'st at my words, but hold thee still: Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.

So, prithee, go with me. Exeunt.

SCENE III.

A park near the palace.

Enter three Murtherers.

FIRST MURTHERER. But who did bid thee join with us?

THIRD MURTHERER. Macbeth.

SECOND MURTHERER. He needs not our mistrust, since he delivers Our offices and what we have to do To the direction just.

FIRST MURTHERER. Then stand with us.

The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day; Now spurs the lated traveler apace To gain the timely inn, and near approaches The subject of our watch.

THIRD MURTHERER. Hark! I hear horses.

BANQUO. [Within.] Give us a light there, ho!

SECOND MURTHERER. Then 'tis he; the rest That are within the note of expectation Already are i' the court.

FIRST MURTHERER. His horses go about.

THIRD MURTHERER. Almost a mile, but he does usually- So all men do -from hence to the palace gate Make it their walk.

SECOND MURTHERER. A light, a light!

Enter Banquo, and Fleance with a torch.

THIRD MURTHERER. 'Tis he.

FIRST MURTHERER. Stand to't.

BANQUO. It will be rain tonight.

FIRST MURTHERER. Let it come down.

They set upon Banquo.

BANQUO. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!

Thou mayst revenge. O slave! Dies. Fleance escapes.

THIRD MURTHERER. Who did strike out the light?

FIRST MURTHERER. Wast not the way?