Macbeth. To-night we hold 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

For ever knit.

Macbeth.

Ride you this afternoon?

Banquo. Ay, my good lord.

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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 '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.

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
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

Macbeth. I wish your horses swift and sure of foot; And so I do commend you to their backs.

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's.

Farewell.

[Exit Banquo.

Let every man be master of his time.

40

Till seven at night: to make society

The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself

Till supper-time alone: while then, God be with you!

Sirrah, a word with you: attend those men

[Exeunt all but Macbeth and an Attendant.

Our pleasure?

Macbeth. Bring them before us.

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

[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, 50

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

Mark Antony's was by Cæsar. 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 murder'd ;
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,
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.

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70

[Exit Attendant.

Was it not yesterday we spoke together?
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
Our innocent self: this I made good to you

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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 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
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?

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
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't;
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 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.

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

True, my lord.

Know Banquo was your enemy.

Both Murderers.

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
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,
Masking the business from the common eye
For sundry weighty reasons.

Second Murderer.

We shall, my lord,

Though our lives

Perform what you command us.

First Murderer.

ΠΙΟ

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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 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-
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 Murderers.

We are resolved, my lord.

Macbeth. I'll call upon you straight: abide within.

130

D

[Exeunt Murderers.

It is concluded: Banquo, thy soul's flight,

If it find heaven, must find it out to-night.

SCENE II. The palace.

Enter LADY MACBETH and a Servant.

140

[Exit.

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 For a few words.

Servant.

Lady Macbeth.

Madam, I will.

[Exit.

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 10 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.

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