Scene II

[The palace.]

Enter Macbeth's Lady, and a Servant.

LADY MACBETH:

Is Banquo gone from court?

LADY MACBETH:

Has Banquo gone from court?

SERVANT:

Ay, madam, but returns again tonight.

SERVANT:

Yes, madam, only to return again tonight.

LADY MACBETH:

Say to the King I would attend his leisure
For a few words.

LADY MACBETH:

Tell the king that I wish to speak with him,
For a few words.

SERVANT:

Madam, I will.(5)

SERVANT:

Madam, I will.

[Exit]

LADY MACBETH:

Nought's had, all's spent,
Where our desire is got without content.
’Tis safer to be that which we destroy
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.

Enter Macbeth.

How now, my lord! Why do you keep alone,(10)
Of sorriest fancies your companions making,
Using those thoughts which should indeed have died
With them they think on? Things without all remedy
Should be without regard. What's done is done.

LADY MACBETH:

Nothing’s ours, all's been spent,
Where we got what we wanted, but without content.
It is safer to be what we destroy,
Rather than, by destruction, live in uncertain joy. How are you, my lord! Why do you keep to yourself,
Making the worst imaginings your companions,
Thinking those thoughts which should indeed have died
With the dead ones you’re thinking about? Problems with no solutions
Should not be thought about. What’s done is done.

MACBETH:

We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it.(15)
She'll close and be herself, whilst our poor malice
Remains in danger of her former tooth.
But let the frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer,
Ere we will eat our meal in fear and sleep
In the affliction of these terrible dreams(20)
That shake us nightly. Better be with the dead,
Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace,
Than on the torture of the mind to lie
In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave;
After life's fitful fever he sleeps well;(25)
Treason has done his worst: nor steel, nor poison,
Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing,
Can touch him further.

MACBETH:

We have crushed the snake, but we haven’t killed it;
She'll recover, and be herself, while our poor evil-doing
Remains in danger of her poisonous bite.
Only let the order of the universe be disrupted,
Both the real and spiritual worlds suffer,
Before we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep
In the affliction of these terrible dreams
That wake us up nightly. It’s better to be with the dead,
Whom we have sent to their peace to gain our peace,
Than to lie on a bed, torturing of the mind
In a restless frenzy. Duncan is in his grave.
After the disease of his life is over, he sleeps well.;
Treason has done his worst. Not steel, or poison,
Malice in his country, attacks from foreigners, nothing,
Can touch him further.

LADY MACBETH:

Come on,
Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks;(30)
Be bright and jovial among your guests tonight.

LADY MACBETH:

Come on.
Gently my lord, put on a different face.
Be bright and jovial among your guests tonight.

MACBETH:

So shall I, love, and so, I pray, be you:
Let your remembrance apply to Banquo;
Present him eminence, both with eye and tongue:
Unsafe the while, that we(35)
Must lave our honors in these flattering streams,
And make our faces vizards to our hearts,
Disguising what they are.

MACBETH:

I will, love, and you should too.
Devote your remembrance to Banquo;
Give him respect, both with eye and tongue.
As long as we are insecure, we
Must wash our crowns in these streams of flattery,
And let our faces hide our hearts like masks,
Disguising what they really are.

LADY MACBETH:

You must leave this.

LADY MACBETH:

You must stop this.

MACBETH:

O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!(40)
Thou know'st that Banquo and his Fleance lives.

MACBETH:

O, my mind is full of scorpions, dear wife!
You know that Banquo and his son, Fleance, live.

LADY MACBETH:

But in them nature's copy's not eterne.

LADY MACBETH:

Only in them, nature's copy is not eternal.

MACBETH:

There's comfort yet; they are assailable.
Then be thou jocund. Ere the bat hath flown
His cloister'd flight; ere to black Hecate's summons(45)
The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums
Hath rung night's yawning peal, there shall be done
A deed of dreadful note.

MACBETH:

There's comfort in that. They can be attacked.
Then, you be happy. Before the bat has flown
His hidden flight, before black Hecate's summons are heard,
Before the dung beetle, with his drowsy hums,
Rings the bell to end the night, there shall be done
A deed of dreadful note.

LADY MACBETH:

What's to be done?

LADY MACBETH:

What's to be done?

MACBETH:

Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,(50)
Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night,
Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day,
And with thy bloody and invisible hand
Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond
Which keeps me pale! Light thickens, and the crow(55)
Makes wing to the rooky wood:
Good things of day begin to droop and drowse,
Whiles night's black agents to their preys do rouse.
Thou marvell'st at my words, but hold thee still:
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.(60)
So, prithee, go with me.

MACBETH:

I don’t want you to know, dearest sweetheart,
Until you can applaud the deed. Come, night that closes the eyes,
Cover the tender eye of pitiful day;
And, with your bloody and invisible hand,
Cancel and tear to pieces that great deed
Which keeps me pale! Light thickens, and the crow
Flies to his roost to the wood.
Good things of day begin to droop and drowse,
While night's black agents awake to seek their prey.
You marvel at my words. Only stop for a minute.
Things that are bad make strong themselves by ill.
So, I beg you, go with me.

Exeunt.