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; ^{2 note}

as, it is said,
Anthony's was by Cæsar. 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 Scepter in my gripe
Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand,
No son of mine succeeding. If 'tis so,
^{3 note}

To make them Kings, the Seed of Banquo Kings.
Rather than so, ^{5 note}

Enter Servant, and two Murderers.
Go to the door, and stay there, 'till we call. [Exit Servant.
Was it not yesterday we spoke together?

Mur.
It was, so please your Highness.

Macb.
Well then, now
You have 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 conf'rence, past in probation with you,
How you were borne in hand; how crost; 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.

1 Mur.
True, you made it known.

Macb.
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? ^{6 note}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 for ever.

1 Mur.
We are men, my liege.

Macb.
Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men,
As hounds, and greyhounds, mungrels, spaniels, curs,
Showghes, water rugs, and demy-wolves are cleped
All by the name of dogs; the valued 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; 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,
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.

2 Mur.
I am one,
Whom the vile blows and buffets of the world
Have so incens'd, that I am reckless what
I do, to spite the world.

1 Mur.
And I another,
^{7 note}

Macb.
Both of you
Know, Banquo was your enemy.

Mur.
True, my Lord.

Macb.
So is he mine: and ^{8 note}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 certain friends that are both his and mine,
Whose loves I may not drop; but wail his Fall,
Whom 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.

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;
^{9 note}

Mur.
We are resolv'd, my lord.

Macb.
I'll call upon you straight. Abide within. [Exeunt Murtherers.
It is concluded.—Banquo, thy soul's flight,
If it find heav'n, must find it out to night. [Exit.

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