Banquo. Ay, my good lord.

Macbeth.

Farewell.

[Exit Banquo L.]

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. -

[Exeunt L. all but Macbeth and an Attendant.] Sir, a word with you. Do those men wait Outside?

Attendant. They do, my lord, outside the palace gate.
Macbeth. Bring them before us.1

[Exit Attendant R.]

To be thus2 is nothing;

But to be safely thus. My fears of Banquo

Stick deep; and in his. royalty3 of nature

Reigns that which would be feared. He chid the witches
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 gripe,
Thence to be wenched by an unlineal hand,
No son of mine succeeding. If it be so,
For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind;
For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered;
Put rancors in the vessel of my peace

Only for them; and mine eternal jewel 5
Given to the common enemy of man,

To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!

1 us: me. A king spoke of himself with plural pronouns. However, in communion with himself, Macbeth often drops this formal style for the simpler singular number. Note My in the next line but one. 2 thus: i.e. King.

3

royalty: nobility.

4 filed (fild): defiled.

5 eternal jewel: immortal soul.

[Reënter Attendant R., with two Murderers.]

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

[Exit Attendant L.]

Was it not yesterday we spoke together? Murderer. It was, so please your Highness. Macbeth.

Considered what I told you? Both of you

Know Banquo was your enemy.

Both Murderers.

Well, have you

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.1

Both Murderers. We are resolved, my lord.

Macbeth. I'll call upon you straight.

[Exeunt Murderers R.]

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

[Exit R.]

[Curtain, or darkness for a moment.]

Scene 2

[Enter Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Ross, Lennox, Lords, and Attendants.2]

Macbeth. You know your own degrees3; sit down. At first And last, a hearty welome.

Lords.

Thanks to your Majesty.

Macbeth. Ourself will mingle with society.

Both sides are even; here I'll sit in the midst.

[First Murderer appears at the door R.]

...

1 bloody distance nearest of life: as if Banquo stood at sword's length and thrust every minute at Macbeth's body.

2 Lords and Attendants: the number will be governed, of course, by the number available for the cast.

3 degrees: rank, and therefore positions at the table.

4 Ourself: myself, or I. A king spoke of himself with plural pronouns.

Be full of mirth; anon1 we'll drink a measure

The table round. [Goes to the door.] There's blood upon thy face.

Murderer. 'Tis Banquo's then.

Macbeth. 'Tis better thee without than he within.2

Is he dispatched?

Murderer. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him.

Macbeth. Thou art the best of the cut-throats; yet he's good That did the like for his son.

Murderer. Most royal sir,
His son escaped.

Macbeth. Then comes my fit again. I had else been perfect, Whole as the marble, founded as the rock.

But Banquo's safe?

Murderer. Ay, my good lord; safe in a ditch he bides,

With twenty trenchéd gashes on his head,

The least a death to nature.

Lennox.

May it please your Highness sit.

Macbeth. Here now we'd have our country's honor roof'd, Were the graced person of our Banquo present,

Whom may I rather challenge for unkindness

Than pity for mischance.

1 anon: now, immediately.

2 better thee without than he within: better on your face than in his veins.

The Ghost of Banquo enters [R.] and sits in Macbeth's place.
His absence, sir,

Ross.
Lays blame upon his promise.

To grace us with your royal company?

Macbeth. The table's full.

Lennox

Macbeth. Where?

Please it your Highness

Here is a place reserved, sir.

Lennox. Here, my good lord. What is't that moves your Highness?

Macbeth. Which of you have done this?

Lords.

What, my good lord?

Macbeth. Thou canst not say I did it; never1 shake
Thy gory locks at me.

Ross. Gentlemen, rise: his Highness is not well.

Lady Macbeth. Sit, worthy friends; my lord is often thus, And hath been from his youth. Pray you, keep seat;

The fit is momentary; upon a thought

He will again be well. [Aside to Macbeth.] Are you a man? Macbeth. Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that

Which might appall the devil.

Lady Macbeth. [Aside to Macbeth.]

Shame itself!

Why do you make such faces? When all's done,

You look but on a stool.

Macbeth. Prithee, 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 tombs

Shall be the maws2 of kites.

[Ghost vanishes R.]

Lady Macbeth. [Aside to Macbeth.] What, quite unmanned

in folly?

1 never. Equivalent to saying "do not."

2 maws: stomachs.