Scene I

[Forres. The palace.]

Enter Banquo.

BANQUO:

Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,
As the weird women promised, and I fear
Thou play'dst most foully for't: yet it was said
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—
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.(10)

BANQUO:

You have it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,
As the weird women promised; and, I’m afraid,
You played most foully for it. Still it was said
It would not be passed to your children,
Only that myself should be the root and father
Of many kings. If they told the truth,
As their speeches shine on you, Macbeth,
Why, by the truths made good on you,
Might they not be my prophecies as well,
And set up my hopes? But I’ll be quiet; no more.

Sennet sounded. Enter Macbeth as King, Lady [Macbeth as Queen], Lennox, Ross, Lords, and Attendants.

MACBETH:

Here's our chief guest.

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.

LADY MACBETH:

If he had been forgotten,
It would have been a gap in our great feast,
And unbecoming to us.

MACBETH:

Tonight we hold a solemn supper, sir,(15)
And I'll request your presence.

MACBETH:

Tonight we host 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
Forever knit.(20)

BANQUO:

Let your highness
Command me, to whom my duties
Are joined forever with a most
unbreakable tie.

MACBETH:

Ride you this afternoon?

MACBETH:

Are you going riding you this afternoon?

BANQUO:

Ay, my good lord.

BANQUO:

Yes, 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 take tomorrow.(25)
Is't far you ride?

MACBETH:

We would have desired your good advice,
Which still has been both serious and favorable,
In this day's council, but we'll do it tomorrow.
Are you riding far?

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.(30)

BANQUO:

As far, my lord, as will fill up the time
between this meeting and supper. If my horse doesn’t ride better,
I must become a borrower of the night,
For a dark hour or two.

MACBETH:

Fail not our feast.

MACBETH:

Don’t forget to come to our feast.

BANQUO:

My lord, I will not.

BANQUO:

My lord, I won’t.

MACBETH:

We hear our bloody cousins are bestow'd
In England and in Ireland, not confessing
Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers(35)
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?

MACBETH:

We hear our bloody cousins are living
In England and in Ireland, not confessing
Their cruel murder of their father, only filling their hearers
With strange lies. But more of that tomorrow,
When together with that matter, we will have political issues
That need us jointly. Go get your horse. Adieu,
Until you return tonight. Is Fleance going with you?

BANQUO:

Ay, my good lord. Our time does call upon's.(40)

BANQUO:

Yes, my good lord. It’s time we were going.

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(45)
The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself
Till supper time alone. While then, God be with you!

Exeunt Lords[and Lady Macbeth].

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

MACBETH:

I wish your horses are swift and sure of foot,
And so go on for your ride.
Farewell. You all have free time
Until seven tonight. So that we can give you
A sweeter welcome, we will keep our self
Alone until supper time. Until then, God be with you! Servant, a word with you. Are those men
Waiting for us?

SERVANT:

They are, my lord, without the palace gate.(50)

SERVANT:

They are, my lord, outside 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 fear'd. ’Tis much he dares,(55)
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(60)
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(65)
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 murdered,(70)
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,(75)
And champion me to the utterance! Who's there?

[Re]-enter Servant and two Murderers.

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

Exit Servant.

Was it not yesterday we spoke together?

MACBETH:

Bring them before us. To be king in this way is nothing,
Only to be safely king in this way matters. Our fears of Banquo
Stick deep, and there’s a lot to be afraid of
in the royalty of his nature. He has the courage to do a lot,
And, in that unconquerable temper of his mind,
He has a wisdom that guides his courage
To act in safety. He is the only one
Whose being I fear. And, under him,
My natural ability is despised as, they say,
Mark Antony's was by Caesar. Banquo scolded the sisters
When first they put the name of king upon me,
And asked them speak to him; then, like a prophecy,
They hailed him father to a line of kings.
Upon my head, they placed a fruitless crown,
And put a barren scepter in my grip,
Which will be wrenched from my hand,
Since I have no son to succeed me. If the prophecy is true,
I have defiled my soul for Banquo's sons;
I have murdered the gracious Duncan for them,
Put doubts and bitter feelings into my mind
Only for them, and I have given my soul
To the common enemy of man, just
To make them kings, the sons of Banquo kings!
Rather than see that happen, come, Fate, into the arena,
And fight for me to the death! Who's there? Now go to the door, and stay there until we call. Wasn’t it yesterday we spoke together?

FIRST MURDERER:

It was, so please your Highness.

FIRST MURDERER:

It was, so please your highness.

MACBETH:

Well then, now(80)
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, pass'd in probation with you(85)
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.”

MACBETH:

Well then, now.
Have you considered what I said? You know
He was the one, in the times past, who held you
back from promotion, and you thought it was
our innocent self. I gave you proof
when we last met, demonstrated to you how he dealt with you,
how he crossed you, the documents he used,
how he used them, and everything else that might say
to a person with half a soul or someone crazed,
"This is what Banquo did."

FIRST MURDERER:

You made it known to us.(90)

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 gospell'd,
To pray for this good man and for his issue,(95)
Whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave
And beggar'd yours for ever?

MACBETH:

I did so, and I went even further, which is now
the point of our second meeting. Are you
so patient
that you can let this go? Are you such believers in the gospel
that you would pray for this good man and for his children,
the same man whose heavy hand has led you to death, and
made your families beggars?

FIRST MURDERER:

We are men, my liege.

FIRST MURDERER:

We are men, my liege.

MACBETH:

Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men,
As hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs,(100)
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(105)
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,(110)
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.(115)

MACBETH:

Yes, you certainly could pass for men,
In the same way that hounds, and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs,
Shoughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves are
All the names of dogs. There is a long list that
Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle,
The house-keeper, the hunter, every one
According to the gift which generous nature
Has given him, whereby he receives
A special mark of distinction, from the inventory
That describes them as all alike. And the same is true of men.
Now, if you have a place on the list,
In the worst line-up of men, say it;
And I will put, in your bosoms, such business
That, if you carry it out, it will eliminate your enemy,
Take hold of you to the heart and love of us,
Who wears our office with sickness as long as he lives,
But which would be perfect if he were dead.

SECOND MURDERER:

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.

SECOND MURDERER:

I am one, my liege,
Whom has been so angered by the vile blows and beatings of the world
That I am reckless in what
I would do to spite the world.

FIRST MURDERER:

And I another(120)
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.

FIRST MURDERER:

And I am another one,
So weary with disasters, so unlucky,
That I gamble my life on any chance I can get,
Either to make it better or end it.

MACBETH:

Both of you
Know Banquo was your enemy.(125)

MACBETH:

Both of you
Know Banquo was your enemy.

BOTH MURDERERS:

True, my lord.

BOTH 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(130)
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,(135)
Masking the business from the common eye
For sundry weighty reasons.

MACBETH:

And he’s mine too, and to a such bloody degree,
That every minute of his being puts
A big knot in my stomach; and though I could
Sweep him from my sight with barefaced power,
And bid my will guarantee it, I can’t do it,
Because certain friends that are both his and mine,
Whose loves I may not lose, would only protest his fall
Who I myself struck down. And so it is
That I ask see your assistance. I must
Hide this business from ordinary eyes
For sundry weighty reasons.

SECOND MURDERER:

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

SECOND MURDERER:

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

FIRST MURDERER:

Though our lives—(140)

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’ the time,
The moment on ’t; for ’t must be done tonight,(145)
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(150)
Than is his father's, must embrace the fate
Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves apart:
I'll come to you anon.

MACBETH:

Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour at most,
I will advise you where to plant yourselves;
Acquaint you with the perfect time to do it,
The moment to do it; for it must be done tonight
And away from the palace, always remembering
That I must be clear of this event. And with Banquo’s death,
There cannot be any impediments or botches in the work.
Fleance, his son, who keeps him company,
Whose existence is no less important to me
Than his father's, must embrace the fate
Of that dark hour. Decide among yourselves in private.
I'll come to you in a minute.