Macbeth, Act 3, Scene 1

Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, As the Weird Women promis’d; 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.

You have it all now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, everything the Weird Women promised — and I fear you played very foully to get it. Yet it was also said that it would not stay with your descendants, but that I myself would be the root and father of many kings. If truth comes from them — and their words have come out so brilliantly true for you, Macbeth — then, given the truths proved on you, why shouldn't they be my prophecies too, and lift me into hope? But quiet; no more of this.

Here’s our chief guest.

Here is our most important guest.

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

If he had been forgotten, it would have left a hole in our great feast, and been entirely improper.

Tonight we hold a solemn supper, sir, And I’ll request your presence.

Tonight we are holding a formal supper, sir, and I ask you to be there.

Let your Highness Command upon me, to the which my duties Are with a most indissoluble tie For ever knit.

Let your Highness give me your orders; my duty is tied to your commands for ever with a knot that cannot be undone.

Ride you this afternoon?

Are you riding this afternoon?

Ay, my good lord.

Yes, my good lord.

We should have else desir’d your good advice (Which still hath been both grave and prosperous) In this day’s council; but we’ll take tomorrow. Is’t far you ride?

Otherwise we would have asked for your good advice — which has always been both weighty and profitable — at today's council; but we'll take it tomorrow instead. Are you riding far?

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.

As far, my lord, as will fill up the time between now and supper. Unless my horse goes better than usual, I will have to borrow an hour or two from the dark of night.

Fail not our feast.

Don't miss our feast.

My lord, I will not.

My lord, I will not.

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 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?

We hear that our murderous cousins have settled in England and in Ireland, not admitting their cruel killing of their father, but filling their listeners with strange made-up stories. But we'll speak of that tomorrow, when there will also be matters of state that need us both. Hurry to your horse. Goodbye, until you come back tonight. Is Fleance going with you?

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

Yes, my good lord: our time is pressing us.

I wish your horses swift and sure of foot; And so I do commend you to their backs. Farewell.—

I hope your horses are swift and sure-footed; and so I entrust you to their backs. Goodbye.

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.

Let every man do as he pleases with his time until seven tonight. To make company all the more welcome, we will keep to ourselves until supper time. Until then, God be with you.

Sirrah, a word with you. Attend those men Our pleasure?

You there, a word with you. Are those men waiting on our orders?

They are, my lord, without the palace gate.

They are, my lord, outside the palace gate.

Bring them before us.

Bring them in to us.

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 rebuk’d; 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 plac’d 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 fil’d 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 th’ utterance!—Who’s there?—

To be king is nothing unless I am safely king. My fears about Banquo pierce deep, and in his kingly nature there rules exactly what should be feared. He dares a great deal; and along with that fearless cast of mind, he has a wisdom that guides his courage to act safely. He is the only man whose existence I fear; my guardian spirit is cowed in his presence, as Mark Antony's was, they say, by Caesar. He rebuked the sisters when they first gave me the title of king, and told them to speak to him; then, like prophets, they greeted him as the father of a line of kings. On my head they put a crown that will bear no fruit, and into my grip a sceptre that will bear no heir, to be torn out by a hand not of my blood, since no son of mine will follow me. If that is so, then it is for Banquo's children that I have defiled my mind; for them I have murdered the gracious Duncan; poured bitterness into the cup of my own peace only for them; and given my everlasting soul to the devil, the common enemy of mankind, to make them kings — the offspring of Banquo kings! Rather than that, come, fate, onto the tournament ground and fight as my champion to the death! — Who's there?

Now go to the door, and stay there till we call.

Now go to the door and wait there until we call.

Was it not yesterday we spoke together?

Wasn't it yesterday that we talked together?

It was, so please your Highness.

It was, if it please your Highness.

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 craz’d Say, “Thus did Banquo.”

Well then, have you thought over what I said? Understand that it was he who in the past kept you down in such bad luck — when you thought it was I, who am innocent of it. I proved this to you in our last talk: I showed you point by point how you were deceived, how you were thwarted, who the agents were, who worked with them, and everything else that would tell even a half-wit or a cracked mind, "This was Banquo's doing."

You made it known to us.

You made it clear to us.

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 forever?

I did; and I went further, which is the reason for this second meeting. Do you find patience so dominant in your nature that you can let this pass? Are you so ruled by the gospel that you will pray for this good man and for his children, when his heavy hand has bent you down toward the grave and made beggars of your families for ever?

We are men, my liege.

We are men, my lord.

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 valu’d file Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle, The housekeeper, the hunter, every one According to the gift which bounteous nature Hath in him clos’d; 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.

Yes, in the general list you pass as men; just as hounds, greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs, shaggy lapdogs, water-dogs and half-wolves are all called by the single name of dogs. But the list that ranks them by value distinguishes the fast one, the slow one, the clever one, the guard dog, the hunter, each according to the gift that generous nature has shut inside him; and by that he gets a particular description of his own, over and above the list that writes them all down as the same. It is the same with men. Now, if you have a place in that ranking, and not in the lowest rank of manhood, say so; and I will put into your hearts a piece of business whose carrying out will destroy your enemy and bind you close to our heart and love — for our health is only sickly while he lives, and would be perfect at his death.

I am one, my liege, Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world Hath so incens’d that I am reckless what I do to spite the world.

I am a man, my lord, whom the vile blows and knocks of the world have so enraged that I don't care what I do to spite the world.

And I another, So weary with disasters, tugg’d with fortune, That I would set my life on any chance, To mend it or be rid on’t.

And I am another, so worn out with disasters and knocked about by fortune that I would stake my life on any gamble, either to improve it or to be done with it.

Both of you Know Banquo was your enemy.

Both of you know Banquo was your enemy.

True, my lord.

True, my lord.

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 barefac’d 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.

He is mine too — and at such murderous close range that every minute he is alive stabs at my very heart. And though I could sweep him out of my sight with naked power and justify it simply by wanting it done, I must not, because of certain friends who are his as well as mine, whose affection I cannot afford to lose; instead I must mourn the fall of the man I myself struck down. And that is why I am courting your help, hiding the business from the public eye for various serious reasons.

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

We shall do what you order us, my lord.

Though our lives—

Even if our lives—

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.

Your courage shows in your faces. Within an hour at most I will tell you where to place yourselves, give you exact information about the timing, the precise moment; because it must be done tonight, and some distance from the palace — bearing in mind always that I must be left clear of suspicion. And with him — to leave no rough patches or flaws in the work — Fleance his son, who keeps him company, whose removal matters no less to me than his father's, must meet his fate in that dark hour. Make up your minds in private. I'll come to you shortly.

We are resolv’d, my lord.

We have made up our minds, my lord.

I’ll call upon you straight: abide within.

I'll send for you at once: wait inside.

It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul’s flight, If it find heaven, must find it out tonight.

It is settled. Banquo, if your soul's flight is to find heaven, it must find it tonight.