Уильям Шекспир
Macbeth

Act II, Scene 4

Outside Macbeth’s castle.

[Enter ROSS and 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 950

Hath trifled former knowings.

Ross. Ah, good father,

Thou seest, the heavens, as troubled with man's act,

Threaten his bloody stage: by the clock, 'tis day,

And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp: 955

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, 960

A falcon, towering in her pride of place,

Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd.

Ross. And Duncan's horses—a thing most strange and certain—

Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race,

Turn'd wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, 965

Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would make

War with mankind.

Old Man. 'Tis said they eat each other.

Ross. They did so, to the amazement of mine eyes

That look'd upon't. Here comes the good Macduff. 970

[Enter 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. 975

Ross. Alas, the day!

What good could they pretend?

Macduff. They were suborn'd:

Malcolm and Donalbain, the king's two sons,

Are stol'n away and fled; which puts upon them 980

Suspicion of the deed.

Ross. 'Gainst nature still!

Thriftless ambition, that wilt ravin up

Thine own life's means! Then 'tis most like

The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth. 985

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, 990

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! 995

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]

Act III, Scene 1

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, 1005

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, 1010

And set me up in hope? But hush! no more.

[Sennet sounded. Enter MACBETH, as king, LADY]

MACBETH, as queen, LENNOX, ROSS, Lords, Ladies, and Attendants]

Macbeth. Here's our chief guest.

Lady Macbeth. If he had been forgotten, 1015

It had been as a gap in our great feast,

And all-thing unbecoming.

Macbeth. To-night we hold a solemn supper sir,

And I'll request your presence.

Banquo. Let your highness 1020

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. 1025

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 to-morrow.

Is't far you ride?

Banquo. As far, my lord, as will fill up the time 1030

'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. 1035

Macbeth. We hear, our bloody cousins are bestow'd

In England and in Ireland, not confessing

Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers

With strange invention: but of that to-morrow,

When therewithal we shall have cause of state 1040

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. 1045

[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! 1050

[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. 1055

[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; 1060

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, 1065

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, 1070

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 murder'd; 1075

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 seed of Banquo kings!

Rather than so, come fate into the list. 1080

And champion me to the utterance! Who's there!

[Re-enter Attendant, with two Murderers]

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

[Exit Attendant]

Was it not yesterday we spoke together? 1085

First Murderer. 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 1090

Our innocent self: this I made good to you

In our last conference, pass'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 1095

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 1100

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,

Whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave

And beggar'd yours for ever? 1105

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 1110

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 1115

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 't;

And I will put that business in your bosoms,

Whose execution takes your enemy off, 1120

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 1125

Have so incensed that I am reckless what

I do to spite the world.

First Murderer. And I another

So weary with disasters, tugg'd with fortune,

That I would set my lie on any chance, 1130

To mend it, or be rid on't.

Macbeth. Both of you

Know Banquo was your enemy.

First Murderer. [with Second Murderer] True, my lord.

Macbeth. So is he mine; and in such bloody distance, 1135

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, 1140

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. 1145

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; 1150

Acquaint you with the perfect spy o' the time,

The moment on't; for't must be done to-night,

And something from the palace; always thought

That I require a clearness: and with him—

To leave no rubs nor botches in the work— 1155

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. 1160

First Murderer. [With Second Murderer] 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 to-night. 1165

[Exit]

Act III, Scene 2

The palace.

[Enter LADY MACBETH and a Servant]

Lady Macbeth. Is Banquo gone from court?

Servant. Ay, madam, but returns again to-night.

Lady Macbeth. Say to the king, I would attend his leisure 1170

For a few words.

Servant. Madam, I will.

[Exit]

Lady Macbeth. Nought's had, all's spent,

Where our desire is got without content: 1175

'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, 1180

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 1185

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 1190

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; 1195

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; 1200

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 1205

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! 1210

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 1215

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, 1220

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 1225

Makes wing to the rooky wood:

Good things of day begin to droop and drowse;

While 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. 1230

So, prithee, go with me.

[Exeunt]