Scene VII

Macbeth's castle.

Hautboys [and] torches. Enter a Sewer and divers Servants with dishes and service [who pass] over the stage. Then enter Macbeth.

MACBETH:

If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well
It were done quickly. If the assassination
Could trammel up the consequence, and catch,
With his surcease, success; that but this blow
Might be the be-all and the end-all here,(5)
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
We'd jump the life to come. But in these cases
We still have judgement here, that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which being taught return
To plague the inventor. This even-handed justice(10)
Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice
To our own lips. He's here in double trust:
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,(15)
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angels trumpet-tongued against
The deep damnation of his taking-off,(20)
And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubin horsed
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur(25)
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
And falls on the other—

Enter Lady [Macbeth.]

How now, what news?

MACBETH:

If this deed were done when it is done, then it would be better
If it were done quickly. If the assassination of the King
Could be entangled with the consequences, then I could,
With his murder, be a success. If only this blow
Could be the be-all and the end-all right here,
Only here, upon this bank and shallows of time,
We’d risk it for the life to come. Only in these things,
We are always punished here because we teach others
How to murder, and once they learn, they come back
To murder us. This balanced justice
Returns the ingredients of the gold cup we poisoned
To our own lips. Duncan is here in double trust.
First, he is here because I am his relative and his subject,
Both Strong reasons against the deed. Secondly, as his host,
I should shut the door against his murderer,
Not carry the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Has very humble in the use of his power, has been
So confident in his great duty, that his virtues
Will pray like angels, as loud as trumpets, against
The deep damnation of his murder.
And sorrow, like a naked newborn baby,
Moving in spite of the outburst, or heaven's archangels, supported
By the invisible messengers of the air,
Shall everyone about the horrid deed,
And tears shall drown out the noisy wind. I don’t have any
Valid reasons for killing him, only
Ambition that can leap over anything, even itself,
And it falls on the other reasons. Hello! What news?

LADY MACBETH:

He has almost supp'd. Why have you left the(30)
chamber?

LADY MACBETH:

He has almost finished supper. Why did you leave the dining hall?

MACBETH:

Hath he ask'd for me?

MACBETH:

Has he asked for me?

LADY MACBETH:

Know you not he has?

LADY MACBETH:

Don’t you know he has?

MACBETH:

We will proceed no further in this business:
He hath honor'd me of late, and I have bought(35)
Golden opinions from all sorts of people,
Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,
Not cast aside so soon.

MACBETH:

We will proceed no further in this business.
He has recently honored me, and I now have the
Golden opinions from all sorts of people,
Which I want to enjoy for a bit longer, and
Not cast them aside so soon.

LADY MACBETH:

Was the hope drunk
Wherein you dress'd yourself? Hath it slept since?(40)
And wakes it now, to look so green and pale
At what it did so freely? From this time
Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard
To be the same in thine own act and valor
As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that(45)
Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life
And live a coward in thine own esteem,
Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would”
Like the poor cat i’ the adage?

LADY MACBETH:

Was the hope you dressed yourself in
Drunk? Did it go to sleep it off?
And does it wake up now, hung over
From what it so freely committed to? I will calculate your love
From this time forward. Are you afraid
To be the same man in reality
As the one you wish to be? Would you have the crown
Which you believe to be the ornament of life,
And yet live like a coward in your own self-esteem,
Letting "I shouldn’t" wait for "I would,"
Like the poor cat in the proverb?

MACBETH:

Prithee, peace!(50)
I dare do all that may become a man;
Who dares do more is none.

MACBETH:

Pray you, peace!
I dare to do all that may become a man;
Who dares to do more is not a man.

LADY MACBETH:

What beast was't then
That made you break this enterprise to me?
When you durst do it, then you were a man;(55)
And, to be more than what you were, you would
Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place
Did then adhere, and yet you would make both:
They have made themselves, and that their fitness now
Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know(60)
How tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me:
I would, while it was smiling in my face,
Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,
And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you
Have done to this.(65)

LADY MACBETH:

What beast was it, then,
That made you tell me about this plan?
When you “dared” to do it, then you were a man;
And, in order to be more than what you are, you would
Be so much more the man. Time and place
Were not in agreement, and yet you want to control both.
They have made themselves agree, and that agreement now
Doesn’t agree with you. I have nursed a baby, and know
How tender it is to love the baby that drinks my milk.
I would have, while it was smiling in my face,
Plucked my nipple from his boneless gums
And dashed out his brains, if I had sworn to do this
As you have.

MACBETH:

If we should fail?

MACBETH:

If we should fail?

LADY MACBETH:

We fail?
But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
And we'll not fail. When Duncan is asleep—
Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey(70)
Soundly invite him—his two chamberlains
Will I with wine and wassail so convince,
That memory, the warder of the brain,
Shall be a fume and the receipt of reason
A limbec only. When in swinish sleep(75)
Their drenched natures lie as in a death,
What cannot you and I perform upon
The unguarded Duncan? What not put upon
His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt
Of our great quell?(80)

LADY MACBETH:

We fail!
Only dig deep for your courage,
And we'll not fail. When Duncan is asleep,
Which should be soon since he is very tired
From his day's hard journey, I will go to his two chamberlains
With wine and carousing so
Their memory, the guardian of the brain,
Will be a wisp of smoke, and the tired brain won’t
Be able to think clearly. When their drenched bodies
Sleep like pigs, almost like death,
Is there anything that we can’t do to
The unguarded Duncan? Anything we can’t put off on
His officers who are like sponges? Who will bear the guilt
For our great slaughter?

MACBETH:

Bring forth men-children only,
For thy undaunted mettle should compose
Nothing but males. Will it not be received,
When we have mark'd with blood those sleepy two
Of his own chamber, and used their very daggers,(85)
That they have done't?

MACBETH:

Only give birth to male children,
For your unconquered spirit should be passed on
Only to males. Won’t it be understood,
When we have marked those sleepy two
Of his own chamber with blood, and used their very own daggers,
That they have done it?

LADY MACBETH:

Who dares receive it other,
As we shall make our griefs and clamor roar
Upon his death?

LADY MACBETH:

Who dares to understand any other way,
Since we will cry and scream so loudly
At the news of his death?

MACBETH:

I am settled, and bend up(90)
Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.
Away, and mock the time with fairest show:
False face must hide what the false heart doth know.

MACBETH:

I’m convinced, and I commit
Every part of my body to this terrible event.
Let’s go and pass the time by pretending to be happy.
False faces must hide what the false heart knows.

Exeunt.