Scene IV

[In the palace.]

Banquet prepared. Enter Macbeth, Lady [Macbeth], Ross, Lennox, Lords, and Attendants.

MACBETH:

You know your own degrees; sit down. At first
And last the hearty welcome.

MACBETH:

You know the seating order according to your titles. Sit down. To the first
And the last, a hearty welcome.

LORDS:

Thanks to your Majesty.

LORDS:

Thank you, your majesty.

MACBETH:

Ourself will mingle with society
And play the humble host.(5)
Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time
We will require her welcome.

MACBETH:

We will mingle with these people,
And play the humble host.
Our hostess sits in her chair of state, but, when it’s time,
We will require her welcome.

LADY MACBETH:

Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends,
For my heart speaks they are welcome.

LADY MACBETH:

Say it for me, sir, to all our friends,
For my heart says they are welcome.

Enter first Murderer

MACBETH:

See, they encounter thee with their hearts’ thanks.(10)
Both sides are even: here I'll sit i’ the midst:
Be large in mirth; anon we'll drink a measure
The table round. There's blood upon thy face.

MACBETH:

See, they greet you with their hearts' thanks.
Both sides are even. Here I'll sit in the middle.

Be very cheerful; in a minute, we'll drink a measure
Around the table. There's blood upon your face.

MURDERER:

’Tis Banquo's then.

MURDERER:

Then it’s Banquo's.

MACBETH:

’Tis better thee without than he within.(15)
Is he dispatch'd?

MACBETH:

It is better with you out here than he inside the hall.
Is he dead?

MURDERER:

My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him.

MURDERER:

My lord, his throat is cut. I did that for him.

MACBETH:

Thou art the best o’ the cut-throats! Yet he's good
That did the like for Fleance. If thou didst it,
Thou art the nonpareil.(20)

MACBETH:

You are the best of the cut-throats; yet he's a good man
That also cut Fleance’s throat. If you did it,
You are without equal.

MURDERER:

Most royal sir,
Fleance is 'scaped.

MURDERER:

Most royal sir,
Fleance escaped.

MACBETH:

Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect,
Whole as the marble, founded as the rock,
As broad and general as the casing air:(25)
But now I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confined, bound in
To saucy doubts and fears.—But Banquo's safe?

MACBETH:

Then my fears come again. I would have been perfect,
Whole as the marble found as a rock;
As broad and general as the air around us.
But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound
To impudent doubts and fears. But Banquo's dead?

MURDERER:

Ay, my good lord. Safe in a ditch he bides,
With twenty trenched gashes on his head;
The least a death to nature.(30)

MURDERER:

Yes, my good lord. He lives in a ditch,
With twenty deep gashes on his head,
Any one of them would have killed him.

MACBETH:

Thanks for that.
There the grown serpent lies; the worm that's fled
Hath nature that in time will venom breed,
No teeth for the present. Get thee gone. Tomorrow
We'll hear ourselves again.(35)

MACBETH:

Thanks for that.
There the grown serpent lies; the worm that has fled
Has a nature that in time will breed venom,
But he has no fangs now. Get going. Tomorrow
We'll speak among ourselves, again.

Exit Murderer.

LADY MACBETH:

My royal lord,
You do not give the cheer. The feast is sold
That is not often vouch'd, while ’tis a-making,
’Tis given with welcome. To feed were best at home;(40)
From thence the sauce to meat is ceremony;
Meeting were bare without it.

LADY MACBETH:

My royal lord,
You don’t give the toast. A good dinner for guests is more like
One that’s bought rather than given, if the host doesn’t make frequent toasts.
With no toasts, you might as well stay home, because
Away from home, ceremony is the sauce to meat,
Getting together would be bare without it.

MACBETH:

Sweet remembrancer!
Now good digestion wait on appetite,
And health on both!(45)

MACBETH:

Sweet remembrancer!
Now, may good digestion follow your appetites,
And health on both!

LENNOX:

May't please your Highness sit.

LENNOX:

May it please your highness, sit.

Enter Ghost of Banquo, and sits in Macbeth's place.

MACBETH:

Here had we now our country's honor roof'd,
Were the graced person of our Banquo present;
Who may I rather challenge for unkindness(50)
Than pity for mischance!

MACBETH:

Here we would now have our country's honor under one roof,
If the graced person of our Banquo were present.
Who I might challenge for unkindness
Than pity for mischance!

ROSS:

ROSS: His absence, sir,
Lays blame upon his promise. Please't your Highness
To grace us with your royal company?

ROSS:

His absence, sir,
Means he didn’t keep his promise. Will your highness
Please grace us with your royal company?

MACBETH:

The table's full.(55)

MACBETH:

The table's full.

LENNOX:

Here is a place reserved, sir.

LENNOX:

Here is a place reserved, sir.

MACBETH:

Where?

MACBETH:

Where?

LENNOX:

Here, my good lord. What is't that moves your
Highness?

LENNOX:

Here, my good lord. What upsets you, your highness?

MACBETH:

Which of you have done this?(60)

MACBETH:

Which one of you have done this?

LORDS:

What, my good lord?

LORDS:

Done what, my good lord?

MACBETH:

Thou canst not say I did it: never shake
Thy gory locks at me.

MACBETH:

You cannot say I did it. Never shake
Your gory hair at me.

ROSSS:

ROSS: Gentlemen, rise; his Highness is not well.

ROSSS:

Gentlemen, rise. His highness is not well.

LADY MACBETH:

Sit, worthy friends; my lord is often thus,(65)
And hath been from his youth. Pray you, keep seat.
The fit is momentary; upon a thought
He will again be well. If much you note him,
You shall offend him and extend his passion:
Feed, and regard him not. Are you a man?(70)

LADY MACBETH:

Sit, worthy friends. My lord is often this way,
And has been from his youth. I beg you, stay seated.
The fit is momentary; in a minute,
He will again be well. If pay attention to him,
You shall offend him, and embarrass him.
Eat and ignore him. Are you a man?

MACBETH:

Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that
Which might appal the devil.

MACBETH:

Yes, and a bold one, that has the courage to look on
A sight which might shock the devil.

LADY MACBETH:

O proper stuff!
This is the very painting of your fear;
This is the air-drawn dagger which, you said,(75)
Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts,
Impostors to true fear, would well become
A woman's story at a winter's fire,
Authorized by her grandam. Shame itself!
Why do you make such faces? When all's done,(80)
You look but on a stool.

LADY MACBETH:

O complete and utter nonsense!
This is the very image of your fear.
This is same as the air-drawn dagger which, you said,
Led you to Duncan. O, these outbursts and jerky shaking,
Impostors of true fear, would well become
A woman's story at a winter's fire,
Confirmed by her grandmother. Shame on you!
Why do you make such faces? When it’s all over,
You only look at an empty stool.

MACBETH:

Prithee, see there! Behold! Look! Lo! How say
you?
Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too.
If charnel houses and our graves must send(85)
Those that we bury back, our monuments
Shall be the maws of kites.

MACBETH:

I beg you, see there! Behold! Look! Lo! What do you say?
Why, what do I care? If you can nod, speak too.
If mortuaries and our graves must send
Those that we bury back, our tombs
Shall be the stomachs of birds.

[Exit Ghost.]

LADY MACBETH:

What, quite unmann'd in folly?

LADY MACBETH:

What, are you made weak by this “vision?”

MACBETH:

If I stand here, I saw him.

MACBETH:

As I stand here, I saw him.

LADY MACBETH:

Fie, for shame!(90)

LADY MACBETH:

For shame, for shame!

MACBETH:

Blood hath been shed ere now, i’ the olden time,
Ere humane statute purged the gentle weal;
Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd
Too terrible for the ear. The time has been,
That, when the brains were out, the man would die,(95)
And there an end; but now they rise again,
With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,
And push us from our stools. This is more strange
Than such a murder is.

MACBETH:

Blood has been shed before now, in the old days,
Before laws cleaned up the commonwealth.
Yes, and since then too, murders have been performed
Too terrible to hear. The time has been,
That, when the brains were out, the man would die,
And that was the end of it. But now they rise again,
With twenty mortal murders on their crowns,
And push us from our stools. This ghost is more strange
Than such a murder is.

LADY MACBETH:

My worthy lord,(100)
Your noble friends do lack you.

LADY MACBETH:

My worthy lord,
Your noble friends are missing you.

MACBETH:

I do forget.
Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends.
I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing
To those that know me. Come, love and health to all;(105)
Then I'll sit down. Give me some wine, fill full.

Enter Ghost

I drink to the general joy o’ the whole table,
And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss.
Would he were here! To all and him we thirst,
And all to all.(110)

MACBETH:

I forgot.
Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends.
I have a strange infirmity, which is nothing
To those that know me. Come, love and health to all;
Then I'll sit down. Give me some wine, fill my cup full.
I drink to the general joy of the whole table,
And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss.
Would he were here! To all, and to him we miss,
And all to all.

LORDS:

Our duties and the pledge.

LORDS:

Our duties and the pledge.

MACBETH:

Avaunt, and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee!
Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;
Thou hast no speculation in those eyes
Which thou dost glare with.(115)

MACBETH:

Begone! And get out of my sight! Let the earth hide you!
There is no marrow in your bones; your blood is cold.
You have no sight in those eyes
That you stare with!

LADY MACBETH:

Think of this, good peers,
But as a thing of custom. ’Tis no other,
Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.

LADY MACBETH:

Think of this, good peers,
Only as a common occurrence. It’s nothing else,
Except it spoils our good time.

MACBETH:

What man dare, I dare.
Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,(120)
The arm'd rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger;
Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves
Shall never tremble. Or be alive again,
And dare me to the desert with thy sword.
If trembling I inhabit then, protest me(125)
The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow!
Unreal mockery, hence!

[Exit Ghost.]

Why, so: being gone,
I am a man again. Pray you, sit still.

MACBETH:

What man has courage to do, I have courage to do.
You can approach me like the rugged Russian bear,
The armed rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger.
Take any shape but this one, and my steady nerves
Will never shake again. Or be alive again,
And challenge me to fight you in the desert with your sword.
If I have the habit of shaking, then proclaim that I am
The doll of a girl. Here, horrible shadow!
Unreal mockery, here!

Why, so; Since you’ve gone,
I am a man again. I beg you, sit still.

LADY MACBETH:

You have displaced the mirth, broke the(130)
good meeting,
With most admired disorder.

LADY MACBETH:

You have disrupted the fun, broken up a good party,
With very admirable chaos.

MACBETH:

Can such things be,
And overcome us like a summer's cloud,
Without our special wonder? You make me strange(135)
Even to the disposition that I owe,
When now I think you can behold such sights,
And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks
When mine is blanch'd with fear.

MACBETH:

Can such things be, that
Can overcome us like a summer's cloud,
Without puzzling us? You treat me like a stranger
Unlike my usual self,
When I wonder now how you can behold such sights,
And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks,
When mine are blanched with fear.

ROSS:

ROSS: What sights, my lord?(140)

ROSS:

What sights, my lord?

LADY MACBETH:

I pray you, speak not; he grows worse and
worse;
Question enrages him. At once, good night:
Stand not upon the order of your going,
But go at once.(145)

LADY MACBETH:

I beg you, don’t speak. He grows worse and worse;
Questions enrage him. Now, good-night.
Don’t worry about leaving by rank.
Only go at once.

LENNOX:

Good night, and better health
Attend his Majesty!

LENNOX:

Good-night; and better health
Attend his majesty!

LADY MACBETH:

A kind good night to all!

LADY MACBETH:

A kind good-night to all!

Exeunt Lords

MACBETH:

It will have blood: they say blood will have blood.
Stones have been known to move and trees to speak;(150)
Augures and understood relations have
By maggot pies and choughs and rooks brought forth
The secret'st man of blood. What is the night?

MACBETH:

It will have blood. They say blood will have blood.
Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak.
Predictions and relationships understood, have brought forth
Even the most perfect murder,
By magpies and crows and black birds. What time is it?

LADY MACBETH:

Almost at odds with morning, which is
which.(155)

LADY MACBETH:

Almost the middle of the night.

MACBETH:

How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his person
At our great bidding?

MACBETH:

What do you think about Macduff’s refusing to be
At our great bidding?

LADY MACBETH:

Did you send to him, sir?

LADY MACBETH:

Did you invite him, sir?

MACBETH:

I hear it by the way, but I will send.
There's not a one of them but in his house(160)
I keep a servant fee'd. I will tomorrow,
And betimes I will, to the weird sisters.
More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know,
By the worst means, the worst. For mine own good
All causes shall give way. I am in blood(165)
Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er.
Strange things I have in head that will to hand,
Which must be acted ere they may be scann'd.

MACBETH:

I was told so, But I will send.
There's not one of them, except for his house
I don’t keep a bribed servant. I will go tomorrow,
(And I will go early in the morning) to the weird sisters.
They shall speak more, for now I am determined to know
The worst by the worst means. For my own good,
All other problems will have to wait. I am now so far
Stepped in blood that, if I don’t wade in it any more,
It doesn’t matter if I am getting out of it or going over it.
I have strange things in my head that need to be figured out,
Which must be done quickly before others look at them closely.

LADY MACBETH:

You lack the season of all natures, sleep.(170)

LADY MACBETH:

You need to sleep.

MACBETH:

Come, we'll to sleep. My strange and self-abuse
Is the initiate fear that wants hard use.
We are yet but young in deed.

MACBETH:

Come, we'll get some sleep. My unexplainable violation of
Who and what I am is only the fear of someone new to these things.
We are still only youngsters in what we’re doing.

Exeunt.