to pieces that great bond50
Which keeps me pale. Light thickens, and the crow
Makes wing to th' rooky wood.52
Good things of day begin to droop and drowse,
Whiles night's black agents to their preys do rouse.
Thou marvel'st at my words, but hold thee still;
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.
So prithee go with me.
Exeunt.
Macbeth
III.3Enter three Murderers.
FIRST MURDERER
But who did bid thee join with us?
THIRD MURDERER Macbeth.
SECOND MURDERER
2 He needs not our mistrust, since he delivers 3 Our offices and what we have to do 4 To the direction just.
FIRST MURDERER Then stand with us.
The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day.
6 Now spurs the lated traveler apace 7 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
10 Then 'tis he: the rest 11 That are within the note of expectation Already are i' th' court.
13FIRST MURDERER His horses go about.
THIRD MURDERER
Almost a mile; but he does usually,
So all men do, from hence to th' palace gate
Make it their walk.
Enter Banquo and Fleance, with a torch.
SECOND MURDERER A light, a light!
THIRD MURDERER 'Tis he.
FIRST MURDERER Stand to't.
BANQUO
20 It will be rain tonight.
FIRST MURDERER Let it come down!
BANQUO
O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!
[Exit Fleance.]
Thou mayst revenge-O slave!
[Banquo slain.]
THIRD MURDERER
Who did strike out the light?23
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.
III.4Banquet prepared. Enter Macbeth, Lady [Macbeth], Ross, Lennox, Lords, and Attendants.
MACBETH
You know your own degrees-sit down:1
At first and last the hearty welcome.
LORDS
Thanks to your majesty.
MACBETH
Ourself will mingle with society4
And play the humble host.
Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time6
We will require her welcome.
LADY MACBETH
Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends,
For my heart speaks they are welcome. Enter First Murderer.
MACBETH
10 See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks.
Both sides are even. Here I'll sit i' th' midst.
Be large in mirth; anon we'll drink a measure
The table round. [Goes to Murderer.]
There's blood upon thy face.
FIRST MURDERER 'Tis Banquo's then.
MACBETH
'Tis better thee without than he within.
Is he dispatched?
FIRST MURDERER My lord, his throat is cut:
That I did for him.
MACBETH Thou art the best o' th' cutthroats.
Yet he's good that did the like for Fleance:
19 If thou didst it, thou art the nonpareil.
FIRST MURDERER
20 Most royal sir, Fleance is scaped.
MACBETH
21 Then comes my fit again. I had else been perfect; 22 Whole as the marble, founded as the rock, 23 As broad and general as the casing air.
24 But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in 25 To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo's safe?
FIRST MURDERER
Ay, my good lord. Safe in a ditch he bides,
27 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 fled29
Hath nature that in time will venom breed,30
No teeth for th' present. Get thee gone. Tomorrow
We'll hear ourselves again.
Exit Murderer.32
LADY MACBETH My royal lord,
You do not give the cheer. The feast is sold33
That is not often vouched, while 'tis a-making,34
'Tis given with welcome. To feed were best at home;35
From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony:36
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.
MACBETH
Here had we now our country's honor roofed40
Were the graced person of our Banquo present-
Enter the Ghost of Banquo,
and sits in Macbeth's place.
Who may I rather challenge for unkindness42
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
50 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,
58 You shall offend him and extend his passion.
Feed, and regard him not.-Are you a man?
MACBETH
60 Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that Which might appall the devil.
LADY MACBETH O proper stuff!
This is the very painting of your fear.
63 This is the air-drawn dagger which you said 64 Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts, 65 Impostors to true fear, would well become A woman's story at a winter's fire,
67 Authorized by her grandam. Shame itself!
Why do you make such faces? When all's done,
You look but on a stool.
MACBETH Prithee see there!
70 Behold! Look! Lo!-How say you?
Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too.
If charnel houses and our graves must send
Those that we bury back, our monuments73
Shall be the maws of kites.
[Exit Ghost.]74
LADY MACBETH What, quite unmanned in folly?
MACBETH
If I stand here, I saw him.
LADY MACBETH Fie, for shame!
MACBETH
Blood hath been shed ere now, i' th' olden time,
Ere humane statute purged the gentle weal;77
Ay, and since too, murders have been performed
Too terrible for the ear. The time has been
That, when the brains were out, the man would die,80
And there an end. But now they rise again,
With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,82
And push us from our stools. This is more strange
Than such a murder is.
LADY MACBETH My worthy lord,
Your noble friends do lack you.
MACBETH I do forget.
Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends:
I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing
To those that know me. Come, love and health to all, Then I'll sit down. Give me some wine, fill full.
I drink to th' general joy o' th' whole table,90
And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss.
Would he were here! Enter Ghost.92
To all, and him we thirst,
And all to all.93
LORDS Our duties, and the pledge.
MACBETH
Avaunt, and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee!
Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;
96 Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thou dost glare with.
LADY MACBETH Think of this, good peers,
98 But as a thing of custom. 'Tis no other.
Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.
MACBETH
100 What man dare, I dare.
Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,
102 The armed rhinoceros, or th' Hyrcan tiger; 103 Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves Shall never tremble. Or be alive again
105 And dare me to the desert with thy sword.
106 If trembling I inhabit then, protest me 107 The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow!
Unreal mock'ry, hence!
[Exit Ghost.]
Why, so; being gone,
I am a man again.-Pray you sit still.
LADY MACBETH
110 You have displaced the mirth, broke the good meeting 111 With most admired disorder.
MACBETH Can such things be,
112 And overcome us like a summer's cloud 113 Without our special wonder? You make me strange 114 Even to the disposition that I owe, When now I think you can behold such sights
And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks
When mine is blanched with fear.
ROSS What sights, my lord?
LADY MACBETH
I pray you speak not: he grows worse and worse;
Question enrages him. At once, good night.
Stand not upon the order of your going,120
But go at once.
LENNOX Good night and better health
Attend his majesty.
LADY MACBETH A kind good night to all.
Exeunt Lords.
MACBETH
It will have blood, they say: blood will have blood.
Stones have been known to move and trees to speak;
Augurs and understood relations have125
By maggotpies and choughs and rooks brought forth126
The secret'st man of blood. What is the night?127
LADY MACBETH
Almost at odds with morning, which is which.
MACBETH
How sayst thou, that Macduff denies his person
At our great bidding?130
LADY MACBETH
Did you send to him, sir?
MACBETH
I hear it by the way; but I will send.131
There's not a one of them but in his house
I keep a servant fee'd. I will tomorrow,133
And betimes I will, to the weird sisters.134
More shall they speak, for now I am bent to know135
By the worst means the worst. For mine own good
All causes shall give way. I am in blood
Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er.
140 Strange things I have in head, that will to hand, 141 Which must be acted ere they may be scanned.
LADY MACBETH
142 You lack the season of all natures, sleep.
MACBETH
143 Come, we'll to sleep. My strange and self-abuse 144 Is the initiate fear that wants hard use.
We are yet but young in deed.
Exeunt.
III.5Thunder. Enter the three Witches, meeting Hecate.
FIRST WITCH
Why, how now, Hecate? You look angerly.
HECATE
2 Have I not reason, beldams as you are, Saucy and overbold? How did you dare
To trade and traffic with Macbeth
In riddles and affairs of death;
And I, the mistress of your charms,
7 The close contriver of all harms, 8 Was never called to bear my part Or show the glory of our art?
10 And, which is worse, all you have done 11 Hath been but for a wayward son, Spiteful and wrathful, who, as others do,
Loves for his own ends, not for you.
But make amends now: get you gone
15 And at the pit of Acheron Meet me i' th' morning. Thither he
Will come to know his destiny.
Your vessels and your spells provide,18
Your charms and everything beside.
I am for th' air. This night I'll spend20
Unto a dismal and a fatal end.
Great business must be wrought ere noon.
Upon the corner of the moon
There hangs a vap'rous drop profound;24
I'll catch it ere it come to ground;
And that, distilled by magic sleights,26
Shall raise such artificial sprites27
As by the strength of their illusion
Shall draw him on to his confusion.29
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear30
His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear;
And you all know security32
Is mortals' chiefest enemy.
Music, and a song.
[FIRST SPIRIT Within]
Hecate, Hecate, Hecate, O come away!
HECATE
Hark, I am called. My little spirit, see,
Sits in a foggy cloud and stays for me.
FIRST SPIRIT Within
Come away, Hecate, Hecate, O come away!
HECATE
I come, I come, with all the speed I may.
Where's Stadling?
SECOND SPIRIT Within Here.
HECATE Where's Puckle?
SECOND SPIRIT Within
Here.
FIRST SPIRIT Within
40 And Hopper too, and Hellway too; 41 We want but you, we want but you!
Come away, make up the count.
HECATE
43 I will but 'noint, and then I mount; I will but 'noint, and then I mount.
FIRST SPIRIT Within
Here comes down one to fetch his due,
46 A kiss, a cull, a sip of blood; And why thou stay'st so long I muse,
Since the air's so sweet and good.
HECATE
O, art thou come? What news?
SECOND SPIRIT Within
50 All goes for our delight.
Either come, or else refuse.
Now I am furnished for the flight;
Now I go, and now I fly,
Malkin my sweet spirit and I.
THIRD SPIRIT Within
O what a dainty pleasure's this,
To sail i' th' air while the moon shines fair,
To sing, to toy, to dance, and kiss.
Over woods, high rocks and mountains,
Over hills and misty fountains,
60 Over steeples, towers and turrets We fly by night 'mongst troops of spirits.
No ring of bells to our ears sounds,
No howls of wolves nor yelps of hounds,
64 No, nor the noise of water's breach, Nor cannons' throats our height can reach.
[Exit Hecate.]
FIRST SPIRIT Within
Come, let's make haste, she'll soon be back again.
SECOND SPIRIT Within
But whilst she moves through the foggy air,
Let's to the cave and our dire charms prepare.
Exeunt.
III.6Enter Lennox and another Lord.
LENNOX
My former speeches have but hit your thoughts,1
Which can interpret farther. Only I say2
Things have been strangely borne. The gracious Duncan Was pitied of Macbeth. Marry, he was dead.
And the right valiant Banquo walked too late;
Whom, you may say, if't please you, Fleance killed, For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late.
Who cannot want the thought how monstrous8
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain
To kill their gracious father? Damned fact,10
How it did grieve Macbeth! Did he not straight,
In pious rage, the two delinquents tear
That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?13
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too,
For 'twould have angered any heart alive
To hear the men deny't. So that I say
He has borne all things well; and I do think17
That, had he Duncan's sons under his key—
As, an't please heaven, he shall not-they should find19
What 'twere to kill a father. So should Fleance.20
But peace; for from broad words, and 'cause he failed21
His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear
Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?
LORD The son of Duncan,
25 From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth, Lives in the English court, and is received
Of the most pious Edward with such grace
That the malevolence of fortune nothing
29 Takes from his high respect. Thither Macduff 30 Is gone to pray the holy king upon his aid 31 To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward; That by the help of these (with Him above
To ratify the work) we may again
Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights,
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives,
36 Do faithful homage and receive free honors-All which we pine for now. And this report Hath so exasperate the king that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.
40LENNOX Sent he to Macduff?
LORD
He did; and with an absolute "Sir, not I,"
42 The cloudy messenger turns me his back And hums, as who should say, "You'll rue the time
44 That clogs me with this answer."
LENNOX And that well might
45 Advise him to a caution t' hold what distance His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel
Fly to the court of England and unfold
His message ere he come, that a swift blessing
May soon return to this our suffering country
50 Under a hand accursed.
LORD I'll send my prayers with him.
Exeunt.
IV.1Thunder. Enter the three Witches.
FIRST WITCH
Thrice the brindled cat hath mewed.1
SECOND WITCH
Thrice, and once the hedgepig whined.
THIRD WITCH
Harpier cries-'Tis time, 'tis time!3
FIRST WITCH
Round about the cauldron go;
In the poisoned entrails throw.
Toad, that under cold stone
Days and nights has thirty-one
Sweltered venom sleeping got,8
Boil thou first i' th' charmed pot.
ALL
Double, double toil and trouble,10
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
SECOND WITCH
Fillet of a fenny snake,12
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blindworm's sting,16
Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing—
For a charm of powerful trouble
Like a hellbroth boil and bubble.