ACT 1
[Hautboys and torches. Enter a Sewer, and divers Servants with dishes and service, and pass over the stage. Then enter MACBETH]
MACBETH
If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well
If there's no retribution, it's as well
It were done quickly: if the assassination
To do it quickly. If the assassination
Could trammel up the consequence, and catch
Could catch all consequences in a net,
With his surcease success; that but this blow
Concluding it successfully; and stabbing
Might be the be-all and the end-all here,
Would be the start and end of it in this life,
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
Right here, whatever time remains on earth,
We'ld jump the life to come. But in these cases
I'd risk reproach in afterlife. But living,
We still have judgment here; that we but teach
We'll still be judged alive; and if we learn
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To kill, then once we've learned, it might come back
To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice
To haunt the one who killed. This balanced justice
Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice
Means evil actions that we might concoct
To our own lips. He's here in double trust;
Will then be served to us. He double trusts me:
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
First off, I am his cousin and a Scotsman,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Both reasons not to kill him; then, I host him
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
And should, therefore, keep evil from my home,
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Not kill him here myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
Has led with gentle kindness, and he's been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
So clear in his revered role, his virtues
Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against
Will state their case, like angels playing trumpets,
The deep damnation of his taking-off;
To not be damned to hell when he has died.
And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
And then the voice of pity—like a baby
Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed
That strides the wind, or heaven's horsebacked angels
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
That float across the sky to spread their message—
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
Will share this deed, like blowing in one’s eye
That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur
To make them cry and drown the wind. There’s no more
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
That’s motivating me to act, except
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
Ambition, like a man mounting his horse
And falls on the other.
And falling off the other side.
[Enter LADY MACBETH]
How now! What news?
What's happening?
LADY MACBETH
He has almost supp'd: why have you left the chamber?
His supper's nearly done. Why leave your bedroom?
MACBETH
Hath he asked for me?
Has he asked for me?
LADY MACBETH
Know you not he has?
Don't you know he has?
MACBETH
We will proceed no further in this business:
We will proceed no further with this plan.
He hath honoured me of late; and I have bought
He's honoured me of late, and I have earned
Golden opinions from all sorts of people,
Glowing respect from many types of people
Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,
Which I should now enjoy whilst it's still fresh,
Not cast aside so soon.
Not cast it off.
LADY MACBETH
Was the hope drunk
Was your ambition drunk
Wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since?
When you devised your plan? Is it now sleeping?
And wakes it now, to look so green and pale
Has it now woken, all sick with fear
At what it did so freely? From this time
By what is planned so willingly? From now on,
Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard
I'll think your love's like that. Aren’t you afraid of
To be the same in thine own act and valour
Behaving just the same way in your bravery
As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that
As you are in desire? Would you accept
Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life,
That what you want the most, the crown of Scotland,
And live a coward in thine own esteem,
You'll let your fear keep you from what you want most,
Letting 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would',
And let "I do not dare" replace "I will",
Like the poor cat i' the adage?
Like cats that keep their feet dry, fishing?
MACBETH
Prithee, peace:
Please, stop:
I dare do all that may become a man;
I dare to do all things that make a good man;
Who dares do more is none.
Those who dare more aren’t men.
LADY MACBETH
What beast was't, then,
What overcame you
That made you break this enterprise to me?
To tell me of the plan that you had hatched, then?
When you durst do it, then you were a man;
If you dared do it, then you'd be a man;
And, to be more than what you were, you would
And if you did it, you'd be more a man
Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place
Than you have ever been. The time and place
Did then adhere, and yet you would make both:
Weren't right before, but yet you could have done it;
They have made themselves, and that their fitness now
Now time and place are right, but their alignment
Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know
Prevents you. When a baby sucked my milk,
How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me:
I know the tender love that feeling brought me;
I would, while it was smiling in my face,
But I know, as the baby smiled back at me,
Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums,
I'd pluck my nipple from its toothless mouth
And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you
And smash its brains out, had I sworn as you have
Have done to this.
To do it.
MACBETH
If we should fail?
And if we should fail?
LADY MACBETH
We fail!
We fail!
But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
But if you keep your courage of conviction,
And we'll not fail. When Duncan is asleep--
Then we won't fail. When Duncan is asleep—
Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey
He will be tired, for travelling all day
Soundly invite him--his two chamberlains
Will have exhausted him—his two attendants
Will I with wine and wassail so convince
I'll chat with them, then get them drunk on wine
That memory, the warder of the brain,
So they'll forget their actions, not remembering
Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason
Their hazy recollections, like their brains
A limbeck only: when in swinish sleep
Are pickled. When they've passed-out from the booze,
Their drenched natures lie as in a death,
Sozzled and comatose, much like they're dead,
What cannot you and I perform upon
What actions cannot you and I perform on
The unguarded Duncan? What not put upon
Unguarded Duncan? And what can't be blamed
His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt
Upon his drunken soldiers, who'll look guilty
Of our great quell?
Of murder we commit.
MACBETH
Bring forth men-children only;
Give birth to males,
For thy undaunted mettle should compose
For your undaunted temperament should make
Nothing but males. Will it not be received,
Nothing but males. Won't everyone believe,
When we have marked with blood those sleepy two
When we've spread blood upon two sleepy soldiers
Of his own chamber and used their very daggers,
Within his bedroom and we've used their daggers,
That they have done't?
That they have done it?
LADY MACBETH
Who dares receive it other,
Who'd think something else,
As we shall make our griefs and clamour roar
Especially when we howl in grief and anger
Upon his death?
On hearing of his death?
MACBETH
I am settled, and bend up
Agreed. I'm ready
Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.
To summon all my strength for this foul deed.
Away, and mock the time with fairest show:
Go back and pass the time without a mention,
False face must hide what the false heart doth know.
And smile to hide the source of our intention.
[Exeunt]
