The Tragedy of Macbeth: ACT II , SCENE I. Court of Macbeth's castle.

The Tragedy of Macbeth: ACT II


	Introduction

	ACT I

	ACT II

		SCENE I. Court of Macbeth's castle.

		SCENE II. The same.

		SCENE III. The same.

		SCENE IV. Outside Macbeth's castle.

	ACT III

	ACT IV

	ACT V

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SCENE I. Court of Macbeth's castle.

Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE bearing a torch before him

BANQUO

How goes the night, boy?

FLEANCE

The moon is down; I have not heard the clock.

BANQUO

And she goes down at twelve.

FLEANCE

I take't, 'tis later, sir.

BANQUO

5     Hold, take my sword. There's husbandry in heaven;
      Their candles are all out. Take thee that too.
      A heavy summons lies like lead upon me,
      And yet I would not sleep: merciful powers,
      Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature
10    Gives way to in repose!

Enter MACBETH, and a Servant with a torch

Give me my sword.
Who's there?

MACBETH

A friend.

BANQUO

      What, sir, not yet at rest? The king's a-bed:
15    He hath been in unusual pleasure, and
      Sent forth great largess to your offices.
      This diamond he greets your wife withal,
      By the name of most kind hostess; and shut up
      In measureless content.

MACBETH

20    Being unprepared,
      Our will became the servant to defect;
      Which else should free have wrought.

BANQUO

      All's well.
      I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters:
25    To you they have show'd some truth.

MACBETH

      I think not of them:
      Yet, when we can entreat an hour to serve,
      We would spend it in some words upon that business,
      If you would grant the time.

BANQUO

30 At your kind'st leisure.

MACBETH

If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis,
It shall make honour for you.

BANQUO

      So I lose none
      In seeking to augment it, but still keep
35    My bosom franchised and allegiance clear,
      I shall be counsell'd.

MACBETH

Good repose the while!

BANQUO

Thanks, sir: the like to you!

Exeunt BANQUO and FLEANCE

MACBETH

Go bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready,
40 She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed.

Exit Servant

      Is this a dagger which I see before me,
      The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.
      I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
      Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
45    To feeling as to sight? or art thou but
      A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
      Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?
      I see thee yet, in form as palpable
      As this which now I draw.
50    Thou marshall'st me the way that I was going;
      And such an instrument I was to use.
      Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other senses,
      Or else worth all the rest; I see thee still,
      And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood,
55    Which was not so before. There's no such thing:
      It is the bloody business which informs
      Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one halfworld
      Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse
      The curtain'd sleep; witchcraft celebrates
60    Pale Hecate's offerings, and wither'd murder,
      Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf,
      Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace.
      With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design
      Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set earth,
65    Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear
      Thy very stones prate of my whereabout,
      And take the present horror from the time,
      Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives:
      Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.

A bell rings

70    I go, and it is done; the bell invites me.
      Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell
      That summons thee to heaven or to hell.

Exit

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