Scene IV

[Forres. The palace.]

Flourish. Enter King [Duncan], Lennox, Malcolm, Donalbain, and Attendants.

DUNCAN:

Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not
Those in commission yet return'd?

DUNCAN:

Is the execution of Cawdor carried out? Haven’t
Those in charge of it returned yet?

MALCOLM:

My liege,
They are not yet come back. But I have spoke
With one that saw him die, who did report(5)
That very frankly he confess'd his treasons,
Implored your highness’ pardon, and set forth
A deep repentance. Nothing in his life
Became him like the leaving it; he died
As one that had been studied in his death,(10)
To throw away the dearest thing he owed
As ’twere a careless trifle.

MALCOLM:

My King,
They haven’t come back yet. Only I have spoke
With someone who saw him die, and he reported
That he confessed his treasons very frankly;
He begged your highness for pardon; and he seemed
Very sorry. Nothing he did in his life
Became him so much like the leaving it; he died
As someone one who had studied his own death,
To throw away the dearest thing he owned
As it were a careless trifle.

DUNCAN:

There's no art
To find the mind's construction in the face:
He was a gentleman on whom I built(15)
An absolute trust.

DUNCAN:

There's no art
In finding what the mind's thinking in someone’s face.
He was a gentleman on whom I built
An absolute trust.

Enter Macbeth, Banquo, Ross, and Angus.

O worthiest cousin!
The sin of my ingratitude even now
Was heavy on me. Thou art so far before,
That swiftest wing of recompense is slow(20)
To overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserved,
That the proportion both of thanks and payment
Might have been mine! Only I have left to say,
More is thy due than more than all can pay.

O worthiest cousin!
The sin of my ingratitude even now
Was heavy on me. You are so far ahead
That swiftest way of repaying is slow
To overtake you. I wish you had deserved less,
Then the greater proportion both of thanks and payment
Might have been my! I can only say that
You are due more than all of us can ever pay.

MACBETH:

The service and the loyalty I owe,(25)
In doing it, pays itself. Your highness’ part
Is to receive our duties, and our duties
Are to your throne and state, children and servants,
Which do but what they should, by doing every thing
Safe toward your love and honor.(30)

MACBETH:

In doing the service and the loyalty I owe you,
I am well paid. Your highness' role as King
Is to receive our duties. and our duties
Are to your throne and state, children and servants,
Who only do what they should, by doing everything
Loyal to your love and honor.

DUNCAN:

Welcome hither.
I have begun to plant thee, and will labor
To make thee full of growing. Noble Banquo,
That hast no less deserved, nor must be known
No less to have done so; let me enfold thee(35)
And hold thee to my heart.

DUNCAN:

Welcome here.
I have begun to nurture your career, and will labor
To make the most of yourself. Noble Banquo,
Who has deserved no less, and must not be known
To have done less than Macbeth, let me infold you
In my arms and stop you to my heart.

BANQUO:

There if I grow,
The harvest is your own.

BANQUO:

If I grow here in your favor,
The harvest is yours.

DUNCAN:

My plenteous joys,
Wanton in fullness, seek to hide themselves(40)
In drops of sorrow. Sons, kinsmen, thanes,
And you whose places are the nearest, know
We will establish our estate upon
Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter
The Prince of Cumberland; which honor must(45)
Not unaccompanied invest him only,
But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine
On all deservers. From hence to Inverness,
And bind us further to you.

DUNCAN:

My generous welcomes,
Childishly cruel in being so perfect, seek to hide themselves
In tears. Sons, kinsmen, thanes,
And you who are in line for the throne know that
We will declare that the throne belongs to
Our eldest son, Malcolm; whom we name from this point forward
The Prince of Cumberland, an honor that is
Not enough to make him a king.
Only he also needs signs of nobleness, like stars, that will shine
On all those who deserve to be king. We will go from here to Inverness,
And then we will bind us further to you.

MACBETH:

The rest is labor which is not used for you:(50)
I'll be myself the harbinger, and make joyful
The hearing of my wife with your approach;
So humbly take my leave.

MACBETH:

The rest is work which you’re not used to.
I'll be your host myself, and make my wife
Joyful with the news that you’re coming;
So, humbly I leave you.

DUNCAN:

My worthy Cawdor!

DUNCAN:

My worthy Cawdor!

MACBETH:

[Aside.] The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step(55)
On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires:
The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be
Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.(60)

MACBETH:

[Aside.] The Prince of Cumberland!
I must fall down on that Step, or jump over it,
For it’s in my way. Stars, put out your light!
Don’t let anyone see my black and deep desires.
It could happen in an instant Yet let that go,
That thing that the eye is afraid to see when it is done.

Exit.

DUNCAN:

True, worthy Banquo! He is full so valiant,
And in his commendations I am fed;
It is a banquet to me. Let's after him,
Whose care is gone before to bid us welcome:
It is a peerless kinsman.(65)

DUNCAN:

True, worthy Banquo! He is so full of courage,
And his commendations are food for me,
A banquet to me. Let’s go after the man
Whose has gone before us to bid us welcome.
He is a relative without equal.

Flourish. Exeunt.