MACBETH

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

(PAGINA 4)

MACBETH



ACT II





SCENE IV 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

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:

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,

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,

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.

[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.

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

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.

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,

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!

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]







MACBETH



ACT III





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

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.

[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,

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

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.

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 's.

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

The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself

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

[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.

[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;

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 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,

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.

[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

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.

First Murderer And I another

So weary with disasters, tugg'd with fortune,

That I would set my lie on any chance,

To mend it, or be rid on't.

MACBETH Both of you

Know Banquo was your enemy.

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

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,

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;

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.

[Exeunt Murderers]

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

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

[Exit]







MACBETH



ACT III





SCENE II 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

For a few words.

Servant Madam, I will.

[Exit]

LADY MACBETH 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

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.

LADY MACBETH Come on;

Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks;

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

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!

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

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,

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

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.

So, prithee, go with me.

[Exeunt]







MACBETH



ACT III





SCENE III A park near the palace.



[Enter three Murderers]

First Murderer But who did bid thee join with us?

Third Murderer Macbeth.

Second Murderer He needs not our mistrust, since he delivers

Our offices and what we have to do

To the direction just.

First Murderer Then stand with us.

The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day:

Now spurs the lated traveller apace

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 Then 'tis he: the rest

That are within the note of expectation

Already are i' the court.

First Murderer His horses go about.

Third Murderer Almost a mile: but he does usually,

So all men do, from hence to the palace gate

Make it their walk.

Second Murderer A light, a light!

[Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE with a torch]

Third Murderer 'Tis he.

First Murderer Stand to't.

BANQUO It will be rain to-night.

First Murderer Let it come down.

[They set upon BANQUO]

BANQUO O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!

Thou mayst revenge. O slave!

[Dies. FLEANCE escapes]

Third Murderer Who did strike out the light?

First Murderer Wast 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]







MACBETH



ACT III





SCENE IV The same. Hall in the palace.



[A banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH, LADY MACBETH,

ROSS, LENNOX, Lords, and Attendants]

MACBETH You know your own degrees; sit down: at first

And last the hearty welcome.

Lords Thanks to your majesty.

MACBETH Ourself will mingle with society,

And play the humble host.

Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time

We will require her welcome.

LADY MACBETH Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends;

For my heart speaks they are welcome.

[First Murderer appears at the door]

MACBETH See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks.

Both sides are even: here I'll sit i' the midst:

Be large in mirth; anon we'll drink a measure

The table round.

[Approaching the door]

There's blood on thy face.

First Murderer 'Tis Banquo's then.

MACBETH 'Tis better thee without than he within.

Is he dispatch'd?

First Murderer My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him.

MACBETH Thou art the best o' the cut-throats: yet he's good

That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it,

Thou art the nonpareil.

First Murderer Most royal sir,

Fleance is 'scaped.

MACBETH Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect,

Whole as the marble, founded as the rock,

As broad and general as the casing air:

But now I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confined, bound in

To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo's safe?

First Murderer Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides,

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 fled

Hath nature that in time will venom breed,

No teeth for the present. Get thee gone: to-morrow

We'll hear, ourselves, again.

[Exit Murderer]

LADY MACBETH My royal lord,

You do not give the cheer: the feast is sold

That is not often vouch'd, while 'tis a-making,

'Tis given with welcome: to feed were best at home;

From thence the sauce to meat is ceremony;

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.

[The GHOST OF BANQUO enters, and sits in

MACBETH's place]

MACBETH Here had we now our country's honour roof'd,

Were the graced person of our Banquo present;

Who may I rather challenge for unkindness

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 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,

You shall offend him and extend his passion:

Feed, and regard him not. Are you a man?

MACBETH Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that

Which might appal the devil.

LADY MACBETH O proper stuff!

This is the very painting of your fear:

This is the air-drawn dagger which, you said,

Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts,

Impostors to true fear, would well become

A woman's story at a winter's fire,

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! 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 monuments

Shall be the maws of kites.

[GHOST OF BANQUO vanishes]

LADY MACBETH What, quite unmann'd in folly?

MACBETH If I stand here, I saw him.

LADY MACBETH Fie, for shame!

MACBETH Blood hath been shed ere now, i' the olden time,

Ere human statute purged the gentle weal;

Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd

Too terrible for the ear: the times have been,

That, when the brains were out, the man would die,

And there an end; but now they rise again,

With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,

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 the general joy o' the whole table,

And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss;

Would he were here! to all, and him, we thirst,

And all to all.

Lords Our duties, and the pledge.

[Re-enter GHOST OF BANQUO]

MACBETH Avaunt! and quit my sight! let the earth hide thee!

Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;

Thou hast no speculation in those eyes

Which thou dost glare with!

LADY MACBETH Think of this, good peers,

But as a thing of custom: 'tis no other;

Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.

MACBETH What man dare, I dare:

Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,

The arm'd rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger;

Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves

Shall never tremble: or be alive again,

And dare me to the desert with thy sword;

If trembling I inhabit then, protest me

The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow!

Unreal mockery, hence!

[GHOST OF BANQUO vanishes]

Why, so: being gone,

I am a man again. Pray you, sit still.

LADY MACBETH You have displaced the mirth, broke the good meeting,

With most admired disorder.

MACBETH Can such things be,

And overcome us like a summer's cloud,

Without our special wonder? You make me strange

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,

But go at once.

LENNOX Good night; and better health

Attend his majesty!

LADY MACBETH A kind good night to all!

[Exeunt all but MACBETH and LADY MACBETH]

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 have

By magot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth

The secret'st man of blood. What is the night?

LADY MACBETH Almost at odds with morning, which is which.

MACBETH How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his person

At our great bidding?

LADY MACBETH Did you send to him, sir?

MACBETH I hear it by the way; but I will send:

There's not a one of them but in his house

I keep a servant fee'd. I will to-morrow,

And betimes I will, to the weird sisters:

More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know,

By the worst means, the worst. For mine own good,

All causes shall give way: I am in blood

Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more,

Returning were as tedious as go o'er:

Strange things I have in head, that will to hand;

Which must be acted ere they may be scann'd.

LADY MACBETH You lack the season of all natures, sleep.

MACBETH Come, we'll to sleep. My strange and self-abuse

Is the initiate fear that wants hard use:

We are yet but young in deed.

[Exeunt]



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