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.
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 tonight. Exit
3.2 Enter Lady Macbeth and a Servant
LADY MACBETH Is Banquo gone from court?
SERVANT
Ay, madam, but returns again tonight.
LADY MACBETH
Say to the King I would attend his leisure
For a few words.
SERVANT Madam, I will.
Exit
LADY MACBETH Naught’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 scorched the snake, not killed 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 tonight.
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 visors 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 cloistered 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 th’ rooky wood.
Good things of day begin to droop and drowse,
Whiles 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
3.3 Enter three Murderers
FIRST MURDERER (to Third Murderer)
But who did bid thee join with us?
THIRD MURDERER
Macbeth.
SECOND MURDERER (to First Murderer)
He needs not our mistrust, since he delivers
Our offices and what we have to do
To the direction just.
FIRST MURDERER (to Third 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’th’ court.
FIRST 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 (aside) A light, a light.
THIRD MURDERER (aside)
’Tis he.
FIRST MURDERER (aside) Stand to’t.
BANQUO
It will be rain tonight.
FIRST MURDERER
Let it come down.
First Murderer strikes out the torch. The others attack Banquo
BANQUO
O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!
Thou mayst revenge.—O slave! He dies. Exit Fleance
THIRD MURDERER Who did strike out the light?
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 with Banquo’s body
3.4 Banquet prepared. Enter Macbeth as King, Lady Macbeth as Queen, Ross, Lennox, Lords, and attendants. ⌈Lady Macbeth sits⌉
MACBETH
You know your own degrees; sit down. At first and last
The hearty welcome.
LORDS
Thanks to your majesty.
They sit
MACBETH
Ourself will mingle with society
And play the humble host. Our hostess keeps her