Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit, O Banquo! Banquo! Enter BANQUO. Our royal master's murder'd! Re-enter MACBETH and LENOX. Macb. Had I but died an hour before this chance, All is but toys renown, and grace, is dead; Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN. Don. What is amiss? Macb You are, and do not know O, by whom? The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood They star'd, and were distracted; no man's life Was to be trusted with them. Macb. O, yet I do repent me of my fury, That I did kill them. Macd. Wherefore did you so? [Bell rings, Macb. Who can be wise, amaz'd, temperate, and furious, Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man : The expedition of my violent love Out-ran the pauser reason.―Here lay Duncan, And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in nature Ban. Fears and scruples shake us: In the great hand of Heaven I stand; and, thence, Macb. Let's briefly put on manly readiness, And meet i' the hall together. All. Well contented. [Exeunt all but MAL. and Dox. Mal. 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. Don. To Ireland, I; our separate fortune Mal. This murderous shaft that's shot, [Exeunt The King's two sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, fly to England, and Macbeth is crowned king of Scotland; but fearing the prediction of the witches, that Banquo's issue should be king, he employs "two murderers," to assassinate Banquo and his son Fleance. The consequences of guilty ambition are finely portrayed in the following scene. Enter Lady MACBETH, and a Servant. Lady M. Is Banquo gone from court? Serv. Ay, madam, but returns again to-night. Lady M. Say to the king, I would attend his leisure For a few words. [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, Macb. We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it; But let The frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer, In the affliction of these terrible dreams, That shake us nightly better be with the dead, In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave; Treason has done his worst: nor steel, nor poison Lady M. Come on; Gentle, my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks; Present him eminence, both with eye and tongue : Must lave our honors in these flattering streams; Lady M. What's to be done? Macb. Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, Ti!! thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night, Skarf 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 Good things of day begin to droop and drowse; Whiles night's black agents to their prey do rouse. [Exeunt Banquo and Fleance on their return to the Palace, are attacked by "the murderers." Bauquo is slain, but Fleance escapes. SCENE IV.-A Room of State in the Palace. A Banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH, Lady MACBETH, ROSSE, LENOX, Lords, and Attendants. Macb. You know your own degrees, sit down: at first And last, the hearty welcome. Lords. Thanks to your majesty. Macb. 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 M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all my friends; For my heart speaks they are welcome. Enter first Murderer, to the door. Macb. See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks :- Be large in mirth; anon, we'll drink a measure Macb. 'Tis better thee without, than he within. Is he dispatch'd? Mur. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him. Macb. Thou art the best o' the cut-throats: Yet he's good, That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, Macb. 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, confin'd, bound in To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo's safe? Macb. Thanks for that: There the grown serpent lies; the worm, that's fled, No teeth for the present.-Get thee gone: to-morrow Lady M. My royal lord, You do not give the cheer; the feast is sold, That is not often vouch'd, while 'tis a making, [Exit Murnere: 'Tis given with welcome: To feed, were best at home; From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony, Meeting were bare without it. Macb. Sweet remembrancer! Now, good digestion wait on appetite, And health on both! Len. May it please your highness sit? [The Ghost of BANQUO rises, and sits in MACBETH's place, Mack. Here had we now our country's honor roof'd, Were the grac'd person of our Banquo present; Who may I rather challenge for unkindness Rosse.. His absence, sir, Lays blame upon his promise. Please it your highness To grace us with your royal company ? Macb. The table's full. Len. Here's a place reserv'd, sir Macb. Where? Len. Here, my lord. What is't that moves your highness? Lords. Rosse. Gentlemen, rise; his highness is not well. He will again be well; If much you note him, Lady M. A woman's story, at a winter's fire, Authoriz'd by her grandam. Shame itself! Why do you make such faces? When all's done, You look but on a stool. Macb. Pr'ythee, 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 Lady M. [Ghost disappears What! quite unmann'd in folly? Fye, for shame! Macb. If I stand here, I saw him. Lady M. Mach. Blood hath been shed ere now, i' the olden time, Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd |