Ban.
Thou hast it now; King, Cawdor, Glamis, all
The weyward 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.

Trumptes sound.* ^note Enter Macbeth as King, Lenox, Rosse, Lords and Attendants.

Macb.
Here's our chief guest.
To night we hold a solemn supper, sir,
And I'll request your presence.

Ban.
Lay your highness'
Command upon me; to the which my duties
Are with a most indissoluble tye,
For ever knit.

Macb.
Ride you, this afternoon?

Ban.
Ay, my good lord.

Macb.
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 to-morrow. Is it far you ride?

Ban.
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.

Macb.
Fail not our feast.

Ben.
My lord, I will not.

Macb.
Hie, to horse; adieu,
'Till your return at night. Goes Fleance with you?

Ban.
Ay, my good lord; our time does call upon us.

Macb.
I wish your horses swift, and sure of foot;
And so I do commend you to their backs.
Farewel. [Exit Banquo.
Let ev'ry man be master of his time,
Till seven at night; to make society
The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself
'Till supper time alone; till then, Heav'n be with you. [Exeunt Lords. Manent Macbeth and a Servent.
Sirrah, a word with you: attend those men
Our pleasure?

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

Macb.
Bring them before us—To be thus, is nothing; [Exit Servant.
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,
Anthony's was by Cæsar. He chid the sisters,
When first they put the name of king on 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 scepter in my gripe,
Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand,
No son of mine succeeding. If 'tis so,
For Banquo's issue have I filed 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
Giv'n to the common enemy of man,
To make them kings—the seed of Banquo kings!
Rather than so, come fate into the list,* ^note
And champion me to the utterance!—Who's there? Enter Servant, and two Murderers.
Go to the door, and stay there till we call. [Exit Servant.
Was it not yesterday that we spoke together?

Mur.
It was so, please your highness.

Macb.
Well then, now
You have consider'd of my speeches;

Do you find
Your patience so predominant in your nature,
That you can let this go? Are you so gospel'd,
To pray for this good Banquo and his issue,
Whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave,
And beggar'd yours, for ever?

1 Mur.
We are men, my liege.

Macb.
Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men,
As hounds and grey-hounds, mungrels, spaniels, curs,
Showghes, water-rugs, and demy-wolves, are clep'd
All by the name of dogs; the valu'd file
Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle,
The house-keeper, the hunter; every one
According to the gift which bounteous nature
Hath in him clos'd; and so of men.
Now, if you have a station in the file,
And not in the worst rank of manhood, say it
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.

1 Mur.
I am one,
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.

Macb.
Both of you
Know Banquo was your enemy.

1 Mur.
True, my lord.* ^note

Macb.
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 bare fac'd power sweep him from my sight,
And bid my will avouch it; yet I must not,
For sundry weighty reasons.

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

1 Mur.
Though our lives...

Macb.
Your spirits shine through you. In this hour, at most,
I will advise you where to plant yourselves;
(For't must be done to night,
And something from the palace:) and with him,
(To leave no rubs nor botches in the work)
Fleance his son, that keeps him company,
Must embrace the fate,
Of that dark hour. Resolve yourselves apart,
I'll come to you, anon.

Mur.
We are resolv'd, my lord. [Exeunt Murderers.

Macb.
It is concluded;—Banquo, thy soul's flight,
If it find heav'n, must find it out, to-night. [Exit Macbeth.

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