Scene III

[The same.]

Enter a Porter. Knocking within.

PORTER:

Here's a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of
hell-gate, he should have old turning the key. Knock
Knock, knock, knock, knock! Who's there, i’ the name of
Belzebub? Here's a farmer that hanged himself on th’
expectation of plenty. Come in time! Have napkins(5)
enow about you; here you'll sweat for't. Knock
Knock, knock! Who's there, in th’ other devil's name?
Faith, here's an equivocator that could swear in both the
scales against either scale, who committed treason enough
for God's sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven. O,(10)
come in, equivocator. Knock
Knock, knock, knock! Who's there? Faith, here's an
English tailor come hither, for stealing out of a French
hose. Come in, tailor; here you may roast your goose. Knock
Knock, knock! Never at quiet! What are you? But this(15)
place is too cold for hell. I'll devil-porter it no further. I
had thought to have let in some of all professions, that go
the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire. Knock
Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter.

PORTER:

Here's loud knocking indeed! If a man were answering the doors of hell, he
would grow old turning the key. [Knocking.] Knock, knock, knock.
Who's there, in the name of the Devil? It must be a farmer that hanged
himself on the expectation of a large crop. I’m coming, and I have napkins
enough about you, but here you'll sweat for it. [Knocking.] Knock,
knock! Who's there, in the other devil's name? Truly, it must be a
liar who could swear on both sides of the scale against either
side, who committed treason enough for God's sake, yet couldn’t
lie to heaven. O, come in, liar. [Knocking.] Knock,
knock, knock! Who's there? Truly, it must be an English tailor sent here
for skimping on the fabric for a pair of a French hose. Come in, tailor; here
you may roast your goose. [Knocking.] Knock, knock. Never
quiet! What are you? But this place is too cold for hell.
I'll be a devil-porter no further. I had thought to have let in
some of all professions that go the primrose way to the
everlasting bonfire. [Knocking.] In a minute, in a minute! I beg you, remember
the porter.

[Opens the gate.]

Enter Macduff and Lennox.

MACDUFF:

Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed,(20)
That you do lie so late?

MACDUFF:

Was it so late, friend, before you went to bed,
That you overslept?

PORTER:

Faith, sir, we were carousing till the second cock:
and drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things.

PORTER:

Faith, sir, we were carousing until about three o’clock. And
drink, sir, is a great instigator of three things.

MACDUFF:

What three things does drink especially provoke?

MACDUFF:

What three things does drink especially instigate?

PORTER:

Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine.(25)
Lechery, sir, it provokes and unprovokes: it provokes the
desire, but it takes away the performance. Therefore much
drink may be said to be an equivocator with lechery: it
makes him, and it mars him; it sets him on and it takes
him off; it persuades him and disheartens him; makes him(30)
stand to and not stand to; in conclusion, equivocates him in
a sleep, and giving him the lie, leaves him.

PORTER:

By Mary, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lust, sir,
it instigates and un-instigates. It instigates the desire, only it
takes away the performance. Therefore much drink may be said to
be a liar to lechery. It makes him, and it mars him; it
sets him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him, and
disheartens him; makes him put up with pain, and not put up with pain. In
conclusion, lies him into a sleep, and giving him the lie,
leaves him.

MACDUFF:

I believe drink gave thee the lie last night.

MACDUFF:

I believe drink gave you the lie last night.

PORTER:

That it did, sir, i’ the very throat on me: but I
requited him for his lie, and, I think, being too strong for(35)
him, though he took up my legs sometime, yet I made a
shift to cast him.

PORTER:

That it did, sir, in the very throat of me; only I paid him back
for his lie; and, I think, being too strong for him,
though he knocked me off my feet a few times, I still made a joke to throw
him off.

Enter Macbeth.

MACDUFF:

Is thy master stirring?
Our knocking has awaked him; here he comes.

MACDUFF:

Is your master awake yet?
Our knocking has awakened him. Here he comes.

LENNOX:

Good morrow, noble sir.(40)

LENNOX:

Good morning, noble sir!

MACBETH:

Good morrow, both.

MACBETH:

Good morning to you both!

MACDUFF:

Is the King stirring, worthy Thane?

MACDUFF:

Is the king awake yet, worthy baron?

MACBETH:

Not yet.

MACBETH:

Not yet.

MACDUFF:

He did command me to call timely on him;
I have almost slipp'd the hour.(45)

MACDUFF:

He commanded me to call him early.
I almost missed the hour.

MACBETH:

I'll bring you to him.

MACBETH:

I'll bring you to him.

MACDUFF:

I know this is a joyful trouble to you;
But yet ’tis one.

MACDUFF:

I know this is a joyful trouble to you,
It is still only one.

MACBETH:

The labor we delight in physics pain.
This is the door.(50)

MACBETH:

The labor we delight in cures pain.
This is the door.

MACDUFF:

I'll make so bold to call,
For ’tis my limited service.

MACDUFF:

I'll make so bold to call,
Because it is my limited service.

Exit, Macduff.

LENNOX:

Goes the King hence today?

LENNOX:

Does the king leave here today?

MACBETH:

He does: he did appoint so.

MACBETH:

He does. He did decide so.

LENNOX:

The night has been unruly. Where we lay,(55)
Our chimneys were blown down, and, as they say,
Lamentings heard i’ the air, strange screams of death,
And prophesying with accents terrible
Of dire combustion and confused events
New hatch'd to the woeful time. The obscure bird(60)
Clamor'd the livelong night. Some say the earth
Was feverous and did shake.

LENNOX:

The night has been unruly. Where we were sleeping,
Our chimneys were blown down. And, as they say,
Cries were heard in the air, strange screams of death;
And speaking in tongues, with terrible accents,
Of dreadful confusion and confused events,
Newly born into the terrible age. The hidden bird
Screamed all night long; some say the earth
Was feverish, and shook.

MACBETH:

’Twas a rough night.

MACBETH:

It was a rough night.

LENNOX:

My young remembrance cannot parallel
A fellow to it.(65)

LENNOX:

I can’t remember there being another
Like it.

[Re]-enter Macduff.

MACDUFF:

O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart
Cannot conceive nor name thee.

MACDUFF:

O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart
Cannot comprehend or name you!

MACBETH:

What's the matter?

MACBETH:

What's the matter?

LENNOX:

What's the matter?

LENNOX:

What's the matter?

MACDUFF:

Confusion now hath made his masterpiece.(70)
Most sacrilegious Murder hath broke ope
The Lord's anointed temple and stole thence
The life o’ the building.

MACDUFF:

Confusion has now made his masterpiece!
Most unholy murder has broken open
The Lord's anointed temple, and then stolen
The life of the building.

MACBETH:

What is't you say? the life?

MACBETH:

What are you saying? The life?

LENNOX:

Mean you his Majesty?(75)

LENNOX:

Mean you his majesty?

MACDUFF:

Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight
With a new Gorgon. Do not bid me speak;
See, and then speak yourselves. (Awake, awake!)

Exeunt Macbeth and Lennox.

Ring the alarum bell. Murder and treason!
Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm, awake!(80)
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! Ring the bell. Bell rings.(85)

MACDUFF:

Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight
With a new monster to turn you to stone. Don’t ask me to speak.
See, and then speak for yourselves.
Awake, awake! Ring the alarms bell. Murder and treason!
Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm! Awake!
Shake off this soft sleep, death's disguise,
And look on death itself! Go up, go up, and see
The great destruction's image! Malcolm! Banquo!
Rise up as you would from your graves, and walk like spirits
To see this horror!

Enter Lady [Macbeth.]

LADY MACBETH:

What's the business,
That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley
The sleepers of the house? Speak, speak!

LADY MACBETH:

What's happened,
That such a hideous trumpet calls to summon
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(90)
Would murder as it fell.

Enter Banquo.

O Banquo, Banquo!
Our royal master's murdered.

MACDUFF:

O gentle lady,
It is not for you to hear what I can speak.
The repetition, in a woman's ear,
Would murder you as you heard it. O Banquo, Banquo!
Our royal master's murdered!

LADY MACBETH:

Woe, alas!
What, in our house?(95)

LADY MACBETH:

Woe, alas! What, in our house?

BANQUO:

Too cruel any where.
Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself,
And say it is not so.

BANQUO:

Too cruel any where.
Dear Duff, I beg you, contradict yourself,
And say it is not so.

[Re]-enter Macbeth, Lennox, Ross.

MACBETH:

Had I but died an hour before this chance,
I had lived a blessed time; for from this instant(100)
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.

MACBETH:

If I had only died an hour before this event,
I would have lived a blessed life, because, from this instant,
There's nothing serious in mortality.
Everything is only toys. Renown and grace are dead;
The wine of life is spilled, and the mere dregs
Are all that is left for this empty pit to brag of.

Enter Malcolm and Donalbain.

DONALBAIN:

What is amiss?(105)

DONALBAIN:

What’s wrong?

MACBETH:

You are, and do not know't:
The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood
Is stopp'd; the very source of it is stopp'd.

MACBETH:

You are, and don’t know it.
The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood
Is stopped; the very source of it is stopped.

MACDUFF:

Your royal father's murdered.

MACDUFF:

Your royal father's murdered.

MALCOLM:

O, by whom?(110)

MALCOLM:

O, by whom?

LENNOX:

Those of his chamber, as it seem'd, 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(115)
Was to be trusted with them.

LENNOX:

Those of his chamber, as it seems, had done it.
Their hands and faces were all covered with blood;
So were their daggers, which we found, unwiped,
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.

MACBETH:

O, I’m sorry I was so angry
That I did kill them.

MACDUFF:

Wherefore did you so?

MACDUFF:

Why did you it?

MACBETH:

Who can be wise, amazed, temperate and furious,(120)
Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man:
The expedition of my violent love
Outrun the pauser reason. Here lay Duncan,
His silver skin laced with his golden blood,
And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in nature(125)
For ruin's wasteful entrance: there, the murderers,
Steep'd in the colors of their trade, their daggers
Unmannerly breech'd with gore. Who could refrain,
That had a heart to love, and in that heart
Courage to make's love known?(130)

MACBETH:

Who can be wise, amazed, temperate, and furious,
Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man.
The speedy execution of my violent love
Outran the thinking that should have stopped me. There was Duncan,
His silver skin laced with his golden blood;
And his gashed stabs looked like a breach in nature
For ruin to make a wasteful entrance. There, the murderers,
Steeped in the colors of their trade, their daggers
Improperly covered with gore. Who could refrain,
That had a heart to love, and in that heart
Courage to make his love known?

LADY MACBETH:

Help me hence, ho!

LADY MACBETH:

Help me here, hello!

MACDUFF:

Look to the lady.

MACDUFF:

Look to the lady.

MALCOLM:

[Aside to Donalbain.] Why do we hold our
tongues,
That most may claim this argument for ours?(135)

MALCOLM:

Why do we stop talking,
That most may claim we did this?