Macbeth

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 to-night.

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 honours 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 assailable;
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 bloody 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 marvell’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 Murderers.
First Murderer	But who did bid thee join with us?
Third Murderer	Macbeth.
Second Murderer	He needs not our mistrust, since he delivers Our offices and what we have to do To the direction just.
First Murderer	Then stand with us. The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day: Now spurs the lated traveller apace To gain the timely inn; and near approaches The subject of our watch.
Third Murderer	Hark! I hear horses.
Banquo	Within. Give us a light there, ho!
Second Murderer	Then ’tis he: the rest That are within the note of expectation Already are i’ the court.
First Murderer	His horses go about.
Third Murderer	Almost a mile: but he does usually, So all men do, from hence to the palace gate Make it their walk.
Second Murderer	A light, a light!
	Enter Banquo, and Fleance with a torch.
Third Murderer	’Tis he.
First Murderer	Stand to’t.
Banquo	It will be rain to-night.
First Murderer	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 Murderer	Who did strike out the light?
First Murderer	Was’t not the way?
Third Murderer	There’s but one down; the son is fled.
Second Murderer	We have lost Best half of our affair.
First Murderer	Well, let’s away, and say how much is done. Exeunt.

Scene IV

The same. Hall in the palace.

	A banquet prepared. Enter Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Ross, Lennox, Lords, and Attendants.
Macbeth	You know your own degrees; sit down: at first And last the hearty welcome.
Lords	Thanks to your majesty.
Macbeth	Ourself will mingle with society, And play the humble host. Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time We will require her welcome.
Lady Macbeth	Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends; For my heart speaks they are welcome.
	First Murderer appears at the door.
Macbeth	See, they encounter thee with their hearts’ thanks. Both sides are even: here I’ll sit i’ the midst: Be large in mirth; anon we’ll drink a measure The table round. Approaching the door. There’s blood on thy face.
First Murderer	’Tis Banquo’s then.
Macbeth	’Tis better thee without than he within. Is he dispatch’d?
First Murderer	My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him.
Macbeth	Thou art the best o’ the cut-throats: yet he’s good That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, Thou art the nonpareil.
First Murderer	Most royal sir, Fleance is ’scaped.
Macbeth	Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect, Whole as the marble, founded as the rock, As broad and general as the casing air: But now I am cabin’d, cribb’d, confined, bound in To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo’s safe?
First Murderer	Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides, With twenty trenched gashes on his head; The least a death to nature.
Macbeth	Thanks for that: There the grown serpent lies; the worm that’s fled Hath nature that in time will venom breed, No teeth for the present. Get thee gone: to-morrow We’ll hear, ourselves, again. Exit Murderer.
Lady Macbeth	My royal lord, You do not give the cheer: the feast is sold That is not often vouch’d, while ’tis a-making, ’Tis given with welcome: to feed were best at home; From thence the sauce to meat is ceremony; Meeting were bare without it.
Macbeth	Sweet remembrancer! Now, good digestion wait on appetite, And health on both!
Lennox	May’t please your highness sit. The Ghost of Banquo enters, and sits in Macbeth’s place.
Macbeth	Here had we now our country’s honour roof’d, Were the graced person of our Banquo present; Who may I rather challenge for unkindness Than pity for mischance!
Ross	His absence, sir, Lays blame upon his promise. Please’t your highness To grace us with your royal company.
Macbeth	The table’s full.
Lennox	Here is a place reserved, sir.
Macbeth	Where?
Lennox	Here, my good lord. What is’t that moves your highness?
Macbeth	Which of you have done this?
Lords	What, my good lord?
Macbeth	Thou canst not say I did it: never shake Thy gory locks at me.
Ross	Gentlemen, rise: his highness is not well.
Lady Macbeth	Sit, worthy friends: my lord is often thus, And hath been from his youth: pray you, keep seat; The fit is momentary; upon a thought He will again be well: if much you note him, You shall offend him and extend his passion: Feed, and regard him not. Are you a man?
Macbeth