1    Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all,
2    As the weird women promised, and, I fear,
3    Thou play'dst most foully for't: yet it was said
4    It should not stand in thy posterity,
5    But that myself should be the root and father
6    Of many kings. If there come truth from them--
7    As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine--
8    Why, by the verities on thee made good,
9    May they not be my oracles as well,
10   And set me up in hope? But hush! no more.

11   Here's our chief guest.

12   If he had been forgotten,
13   It had been as a gap in our great feast,
14   And all-thing unbecoming.

15   To-night we hold a solemn supper sir,
16   And I'll request your presence.

17   Let your highness
18   Command upon me; to the which my duties
19   Are with a most indissoluble tie
20   For ever knit.

21   Ride you this afternoon?

22   Ay, my good lord.

23   We should have else desired your good advice,
24   Which still hath been both grave and prosperous,
25   In this day's council; but we'll take to-morrow.
26   Is't far you ride?

27   As far, my lord, as will fill up the time
28   'Twixt this and supper: go not my horse the better,
29   I must become a borrower of the night
30   For a dark hour or twain.

31   Fail not our feast.

32   My lord, I will not.

33   We hear, our bloody cousins are bestow'd
34   In England and in Ireland, not confessing
35   Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers
36   With strange invention: but of that to-morrow,
37   When therewithal we shall have cause of state
38   Craving us jointly. Hie you to horse: adieu,
39   Till you return at night. Goes Fleance with you?

40   Ay, my good lord: our time does call upon 's.

41   I wish your horses swift and sure of foot;
42   And so I do commend you to their backs. Farewell.
Exit BANQUO
43   Let every man be master of his time
44   Till seven at night: to make society
45   The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself
46   Till supper-time alone: while then, God be with you!
Exeunt all but MACBETH, and an attendant
47   Sirrah, a word with you: attend those men
48   Our pleasure?

49   They are, my lord, without the palace gate.

50   Bring them before us.
Exit Attendant
51   To be thus is nothing;
52   But to be safely thus.--Our fears in Banquo
53   Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature
54   Reigns that which would be fear'd: 'tis much he dares;
55   And, to that dauntless temper of his mind,
56   He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour
57   To act in safety. There is none but he
58   Whose being I do fear: and, under him,
59   My Genius is rebuked; as, it is said,
60   Mark Antony's was by Caesar. He chid the sisters
61   When first they put the name of king upon me,
62   And bade them speak to him: then prophet-like
63   They hail'd him father to a line of kings:
64   Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown,
65   And put a barren sceptre in my gripe,
66   Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand,
67   No son of mine succeeding. If 't be so,
68   For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind;
69   For them the gracious Duncan have I murder'd;
70   Put rancours in the vessel of my peace
71   Only for them; and mine eternal jewel
72   Given to the common enemy of man,
73   To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!
74   Rather than so, come fate into the list.
75   And champion me to the utterance! Who's there!
Re-enter Attendant, with two Murderers
76   Now go to the door, and stay there till we call.
Exit Attendant
77   Was it not yesterday we spoke together?

78   It was, so please your highness.

79   Well then, now
80   Have you consider'd of my speeches? Know
81   That it was he in the times past which held you
82   So under fortune, which you thought had been
83   Our innocent self: this I made good to you
84   In our last conference, pass'd in probation with you,
85   How you were borne in hand, how cross'd,
86   the instruments,
87   Who wrought with them, and all things else that might
88   To half a soul and to a notion crazed
89   Say 'Thus did Banquo.'

90   You made it known to us.

91   I did so, and went further, which is now
92   Our point of second meeting. Do you find
93   Your patience so predominant in your nature
94   That you can let this go? Are you so gospell'd
95   To pray for this good man and for his issue,
96   Whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave
97   And beggar'd yours for ever?

98   We are men, my liege.

99   Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men;
100  As hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs,
101  Shoughs, water-rugs and demi-wolves, are clept
102  All by the name of dogs: the valued file
103  Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle,
104  The housekeeper, the hunter, every one
105  According to the gift which bounteous nature
106  Hath in him closed; whereby he does receive
107  Particular addition. from the bill
108  That writes them all alike: and so of men.
109  Now, if you have a station in the file,
110  Not i' the worst rank of manhood, say 't;
111  And I will put that business in your bosoms,
112  Whose execution takes your enemy off,
113  Grapples you to the heart and love of us,
114  Who wear our health but sickly in his life,
115  Which in his death were perfect.

116  I am one, my liege,
117  Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world
118  Have so incensed that I am reckless what
119  I do to spite the world.

120  And I another
121  So weary with disasters, tugg'd with fortune,
122  That I would set my lie on any chance,
123  To mend it, or be rid on't.

124  Both of you
125  Know Banquo was your enemy.

126  True, my lord.

127  So is he mine; and in such bloody distance,
128  That every minute of his being thrusts
129  Against my near'st of life: and though I could
130  With barefaced power sweep him from my sight
131  And bid my will avouch it, yet I must not,
132  For certain friends that are both his and mine,
133  Whose loves I may not drop, but wail his fall
134  Who I myself struck down; and thence it is,
135  That I to your assistance do make love,
136  Masking the business from the common eye
137  For sundry weighty reasons.

138  We shall, my lord,
139  Perform what you command us.

140  Though our lives--

141  Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour at most
142  I will advise you where to plant yourselves;
143  Acquaint you with the perfect spy o' the time,
144  The moment on't; for't must be done to-night,
145  And something from the palace; always thought
146  That I require a clearness: and with him--
147  To leave no rubs nor botches in the work--
148  Fleance his son, that keeps him company,
149  Whose absence is no less material to me
150  Than is his father's, must embrace the fate
151  Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves apart:
152  I'll come to you anon.

153  We are resolved, my lord.

154  I'll call upon you straight: abide within.
Exeunt Murderers
155  It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul's flight,
156  If it find heaven, must find it out to-night.