The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works

by William Shakespeare

  With a new Gorgon. Do not bid me speak.

  See, and then speak yourselves.

  Exeunt Macbeth and Lennox

  Awake, awake!

  Ring the alarum bell. Murder and treason!

  Banquo and Donalbain, Malcolm, awake!

  Shake off this downy sleep, death’s counterfeit,

  And look on death itself. Up, up, and see

  The great doom’s image. Malcolm, Banquo,

  As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprites

  To countenance this horror.

  Bell rings. Enter Lady Macbeth

  LADY MACBETH

  What’s the business,

  That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley

  The sleepers of the house? Speak, speak.

  MACDUFF

  O gentle lady,

  ’Tis not for you to hear what I can speak.

  The repetition in a woman’s ear

  Would murder as it fell.

  Enter Banquo

  O Banquo, Banquo,

  Our royal master’s murdered!

  LADY MACBETH Woe,

  alas—

  What, in our house?

  BANQUO

  Too cruel anywhere.

  Dear Duff, I prithee contradict thyself,

  And say it is not so.

  Enter Macbeth, Lennox, [and Ross]

  MACBETH

  Had I but died an hour before this chance

  I had lived a blessed time, for from this instant

  There’s nothing serious in mortality.

  All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead.

  The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees

  Is left this vault to brag of.

  Enter Malcolm and Donalbain

  DONALBAIN What is amiss?

  MACBETH You are, and do not know’t.

  The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood

  Is stopped, the very source of it is stopped.

  MACDUFF

  Your royal father’s murdered.

  MALCOLM

  O, by whom?

  LENNOX

  Those of his chamber, as it seemed, had done’t.

  Their hands and faces were all badged with blood,

  So were their daggers, which, unwiped, we found

  Upon their pillows. They stared and were distracted.

  No man’s life was to be trusted with them.

  MACBETH

  O, yet I do repent me of my fury

  That I did kill them.

  MACDUFF

  Wherefore did you so?

  MACBETH

  Who can be wise, amazed, temp‘rate and furious,

  Loyal and neutral in a moment? No man.

  Th’expedition of my violent love

  Outran the pauser, reason. Here lay Duncan,

  His silver skin laced with his golden blood,

  And his gashed stabs looked like a breach in nature

  For ruin’s wasteful entrance; there the murderers,

  Steeped in the colours of their trade, their daggers

  Unmannerly breeched with gore. Who could refrain,

  That had a heart to love, and in that heart

  Courage to make ’s love known?

  LADY MACBETH

  Help me hence, ho!

  MACDUFF

  Look to the lady.

  MALCOLM (aside to Donalbain)

  Why do we hold our tongues,

  That most may claim this argument for ours?

  DONALBAIN (aside to Malcolm)

  What should be spoken here, where our fate,

  Hid in an auger-hole, may rush and seize us?

  Let’s away. Our tears are not yet brewed.

  MALCOLM (aside to Donalbain)

  Nor our strong sorrow

  Upon the foot of motion.

  BANQUO

  Look to the lady; Exit Lady Macbeth, attended

  And when we have our naked frailties hid,

  That suffer in exposure, let us meet

  And question this most bloody piece of work,

  To know it further. Fears and scruples shake us.

  In the great hand of God I stand, and thence

  Against the undivulged pretence I fight

  Of treasonous malice.

  MACDUFF

  And SO do I.

  ALL

  SO all.

  MACBETH

  Let’s briefly put on manly readiness,

  And meet i’th’ hall together.

  ALL

  Well contented.

  Exeunt all but Malcolm and Donalbain

  MALCOLM

  What will you do? Let’s not consort with them.

  To show an unfelt sorrow is an office

  Which the false man does easy. I’ll to England.

  DONALBAIN

  To Ireland, I. Our separated fortune

  Shall keep us both the safer. Where we are

  There’s daggers in men’s smiles. The nea’er in blood,

  The nearer bloody.

  MALCOLM

  This murderous shaft that’s shot

  Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way

  Is to avoid the aim. Therefore to horse,

  And let us not be dainty of leave-taking,

  But shift away. There’s warrant in that theft

  Which steals itself when there’s no mercy left. Exeunt

  2.4 Enter Ross with 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 Ha,

  good father,

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

  Threatens his bloody stage. By th’ 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, tow’ring in her pride of place,

  Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed.

  ROSS

  And Duncan’s horses—a thing most strange and

  certain—

  Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race,

  Turned wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out,

  Contending ’gainst obedience, as they would

  Make war with mankind.

  OLD MAN

  ’Tis said they ate each other.

  ROSS

  They did so, to th’amazement of mine eyes

  That looked upon’t.

  Enter Macduff

  Here comes the good 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 suborned.

  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 will raven 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 severally

  3.1 Enter Banquo

  BANQUO

  Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all

  As the weird women promised; and I fear

  Thou played’st 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, 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 Banquo)

  Tonight 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 talk tomorrow.

  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 bestowed

  In England and in Ireland, not confessing

  Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers

  With strange invention. But of that tomorrow,

  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 a Servant

  Sirrah, a word with you. Attend those men

  Our pleasure?

  SERVANT

  They are, my lord, without the palace gate.

  MACBETH

  Bring them before us. Exit Servant

  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 feared. ‘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 hailed him father to a line of kings.

  Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown,

  And put a barren sceptre in my grip,

  Thence to be wrenched 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 murdered,

  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 seeds of Banquo kings.

  Rather than so, come fate into the list

  And champion me to th’utterance. Who’s there?

  Enter Servant and two Murderers

  (To the Servant) Now go to the door, and stay there till

  we call.

  Exit Servant

  Was it not yesterday we spoke together?

  MURDERERS

  It was, so please your highness.

  MACBETH

  Well then, now

  Have you considered 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, passed in probation with you

  How you were borne in hand, how crossed, 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 gospelled

  To pray for this good man and for his issue,

  Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave

  And beggared 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‘th’ 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

  Hath so incensed that I am reckless what

  I do to spite the world.

  FIRST MURDERER

  And I another,

  So weary with disasters, tugged with fortune,

  That I would set my life on any chance

  To mend it or be rid on’t.

  MACBETH

  Both of you

  Know Banquo was your enemy.

  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‘th’ time,

  The moment on’t; for’t must be done tonight,

  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.

  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,