MACBETH 2.1

Court of Macbeth's castle.

[Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE bearing a torch before him]

BANQUO How goes the night, boy?

FLEANCE The moon is down; I have not heard the clock.

BANQUO And she goes down at twelve.

FLEANCE I take't, 'tis later, sir.

BANQUO Hold, take my sword. There's husbandry in heaven; 5

Their candles are all out. Take thee that too.

A heavy summons lies like lead upon me,

And yet I would not sleep: merciful powers,

Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature

Gives way to in repose! 10

[Enter MACBETH, and a Servant with a torch]

Give me my sword.

Who's there?

MACBETH A friend.

BANQUO What, sir, not yet at rest? The king's a-bed:

He hath been in unusual pleasure, and 15

Sent forth great largess to your offices.

This diamond he greets your wife withal,

By the name of most kind hostess; and shut up

In measureless content.

MACBETH Being unprepared, 20

Our will became the servant to defect;

Which else should free have wrought.

BANQUO All's well.

I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters:

To you they have show'd some truth. 25

MACBETH I think not of them:

Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve,

We would spend it in some words upon that business,

If you would grant the time.

BANQUO At your kind'st leisure. 30

MACBETH If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis,

It shall make honour for you.

BANQUO So I lose none

In seeking to augment it, but still keep

My bosom franchised and allegiance clear, 35

I shall be counsell'd.

MACBETH Good repose the while!

BANQUO Thanks, sir: the like to you!

[Exeunt BANQUO and FLEANCE]

MACBETH Go bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready,

She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed. 40

[Exit Servant]

Is this a dagger which I see before me,

The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.

I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.

Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible

To feeling as to sight? or art thou but 45

A dagger of the mind, a false creation,

Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?

I see thee yet, in form as palpable

As this which now I draw.

Thou marshall'st me the way that I was going; 50

And such an instrument I was to use.

Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other senses,

Or else worth all the rest; I see thee still,

And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood,

Which was not so before. There's no such thing: 55

It is the bloody business which informs

Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one halfworld

Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse

The curtain'd sleep; witchcraft celebrates

Pale Hecate's offerings, and wither'd murder, 60

Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf,

Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace.

With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design

Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set earth,

Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear 65

Thy very stones prate of my whereabout,

And take the present horror from the time,

Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives:

Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.

[A bell rings]

I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. 70

Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell

That summons thee to heaven or to hell.

[Exit]

BANQUO	Hold, take my sword. There's husbandry in heaven;	5
	Their candles are all out. Take thee that too.
	A heavy summons lies like lead upon me,
	And yet I would not sleep: merciful powers,
	Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature
	Gives way to in repose!	10
	[Enter MACBETH, and a Servant with a torch]
	Give me my sword.
	Who's there?

BANQUO	What, sir, not yet at rest? The king's a-bed:
	He hath been in unusual pleasure, and	15
	Sent forth great largess to your offices.
	This diamond he greets your wife withal,
	By the name of most kind hostess; and shut up
	In measureless content.

MACBETH	Being unprepared,	20
	Our will became the servant to defect;
	Which else should free have wrought.

BANQUO	All's well.
	I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters:
	To you they have show'd some truth.	25

MACBETH		I think not of them:
		Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve,
		We would spend it in some words upon that business,
		If you would grant the time.

MACBETH		If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis,
		It shall make honour for you.

BANQUO	So I lose none
	In seeking to augment it, but still keep
	My bosom franchised and allegiance clear,	35
	I shall be counsell'd.

BANQUO		Thanks, sir: the like to you!
		[Exeunt BANQUO and FLEANCE]

MACBETH	Go bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready,
	She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed.	40
	[Exit Servant]
	Is this a dagger which I see before me,
	The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.
	I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
	Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
	To feeling as to sight? or art thou but	45
	A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
	Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?
	I see thee yet, in form as palpable
	As this which now I draw.
	Thou marshall'st me the way that I was going;	50
	And such an instrument I was to use.
	Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other senses,
	Or else worth all the rest; I see thee still,
	And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood,
	Which was not so before. There's no such thing:	55
	It is the bloody business which informs
	Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one halfworld
	Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse
	The curtain'd sleep; witchcraft celebrates
	Pale Hecate's offerings, and wither'd murder,	60
	Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf,
	Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace.
	With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design
	Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set earth,
	Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear	65
	Thy very stones prate of my whereabout,
	And take the present horror from the time,
	Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives:
	Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.
	[A bell rings]
	I go, and it is done; the bell invites me.	70
	Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell
	That summons thee to heaven or to hell.
	[Exit]