MACBETH

DUNCAN, King of Scotland.
MALCOLM, his Son.
DONALBAIN, his Son.
MACBETH, General in the King’s Army.
BANQUO, General in the King’s Army.
MACDUFF, Nobleman of Scotland.
LENNOX, Nobleman of Scotland.
ROSS, Nobleman of Scotland.
MENTEITH, Nobleman of Scotland.
ANGUS, Nobleman of Scotland.
CAITHNESS, Nobleman of Scotland.
FLEANCE, Son to Banquo.
SIWARD, Earl of Northumberland, General of the English Forces.
YOUNG SIWARD, his Son.
SEYTON, an Officer attending on Macbeth.
BOY, Son to Macduff.
An English Doctor.
A Scottish Doctor.
A Soldier.
A Porter.
An Old Man.

LADY MACBETH.
LADY MACDUFF.
A woman attending to Lady Macbeth.
HECATE and three Witches.

Lords, gentlemen, officers, soldiers, murderers, attendants, and messengers.

The Ghost of Banquo and several other Apparitions.

Thunder and Lightning. Enter three Witches.

FIRST WITCH.
When will the three of us meet again?
In thunder, lightning, or rain?

SECOND WITCH.
When the chaos is over,
When the battle is both lost and won.

THIRD WITCH.
That will be before sunset.

FIRST WITCH.
Where is the location?

SECOND WITCH.
On the moor.

THIRD WITCH.
There to meet Macbeth.

FIRST WITCH.
I'm here, Graymalkin!

SECOND WITCH.
Paddock is calling.

THIRD WITCH.
Soon.

ALL.
What seems good is bad, and what seems bad is good:
Drift through the mist and dirty air.

[Leaving.]

Alarum inside. Enter King Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lennox, with Attendants, meeting a wounded Captain.

DUNCAN.
What bloody man is that? He can report,
As it looks from his condition, the latest news
About the revolt.

MALCOLM.
This is the sergeant
Who, like a brave and strong soldier, fought
Against my capture.—Hail, brave friend!
Tell the King what you know about the battle
As you left it.

SOLDIER.
It stood in doubt;
Like two exhausted swimmers clinging to each other
And struggling to survive. The ruthless Macdonwald
(Deserving of being a rebel, for the
Countless evils of nature
Are piled against him) is backed by
Kerns and gallowglasses from the Western Isles;
And Fortune, smiling on his cursed cause,
Looked like a traitor’s lover. But everything’s too weak;
For brave Macbeth (he truly deserves that name),
Ignoring Fortune, with his drawn sword,
Which smoked from bloody work,
Like a servant of Valor, carved his way,
Until he faced the traitor;
Who never shook hands, nor said goodbye,
Until he split him from the nave to the chops,
And placed his head on our battlements.

DUNCAN.
O brave cousin! worthy man!

SOLDIER.
Just like the sun starts to shine,
Shipwrecking storms and terrible thunder hit,
From that source where comfort seemed to arise,
Discomfort grows. Pay attention, King of Scotland:
As soon as justice, armed with courage,
Forced these cowardly fighters to run away,
The Norwegian lord, looking for advantage,
With polished weapons and fresh troops,
Launched a new attack.

DUNCAN.
Aren't our captains, Macbeth and Banquo, worried about this?

SOLDIER.
Yes;
Like sparrows compared to eagles, or the hare to the lion.
If I’m being honest, I have to say they were
Like cannons overloaded with double shots;
So they
Doubled their attacks on the enemy:
Unless they intended to wade through bloody wounds,
Or create another Golgotha,
I can’t say—
But I feel weak, my wounds are crying for help.

DUNCAN.
Your words are just as fitting as your injuries:
They show your honor in both ways.—Go, get him surgeons.

[Exit Captain, present.]

Enter Ross and Angus.

Who’s there?

MALCOLM.
The noble Thane of Ross.

LENNOX.
What a rush is reflected in his eyes! He looks
Like he has something unusual to say.

ROSS.
God save the King!

DUNCAN.
Where did you come from, noble thane?

ROSS.
From Fife, great King,
Where the Norwegian banners wave in the sky
And chill our people.
Norway himself, with a terrible army,
Supported by that most disloyal traitor,
The Thane of Cawdor, started a grim battle;
Until that warrior of Bellona, armored up,
Faced him with direct comparisons,
Point for point, rebellious arm against arm,
Restraining his wild spirit: and, in the end,
The victory was ours.

DUNCAN.
So happy!

ROSS.
Now Sweno, the king of Norway, wants to negotiate;
We won’t even let him bury his men
Until he pays us ten thousand dollars at Saint Colme’s Inch
for our general use.

DUNCAN.
No longer will the Thane of Cawdor deceive
Our close interests. Go announce his immediate execution,
And with his old title, greet Macbeth.

ROSS.
I'll get it done.

DUNCAN.
What he has lost, noble Macbeth has gained.

[Exit.]

Thunder. Enter the three Witches.

FIRST WITCH.
Where have you been, sister?

Second Witch.
Killing pigs.

THIRD WITCH.
Sister, where are you?

FIRST WITCH.
A sailor’s wife had chestnuts in her lap,
And munched, and munched, and munched. “Give me,” I said.
“Get away from me, witch!” the fat, ugly woman shouts.
Her husband’s gone to Aleppo, captain of the Tiger:
But I’ll sail there in a sieve,
And, like a rat without a tail,
I’ll do, I’ll do, and I’ll do.

SECOND WITCH.
I’ll give you a breeze.

You're kind.

THIRD WITCH.
And I'm another.

FIRST WITCH.
I’ve got everything else,
And the exact spots they hit,
All the places they know
On the sailor’s map.
I’ll drain him dry as a bone:
He won’t get any sleep,
Night or day, under his roof;
He’ll live like a cursed man.
For weary nights, seven times nine,
He’ll waste away, get weaker, and suffer:
Even though his ship won’t actually sink,
It will be tossed around in storms.
Look what I have.

SECOND WITCH.
Show me, show me.

FIRST WITCH.
Look, I have a pilot’s thumb,
Wrecked as he was coming home.

[Beat inside.]

THIRD WITCH.
A drum, a drum!
Macbeth is coming.

ALL.
The Weird Sisters, holding hands,
Images of the sea and land,
This is how they go about:
Three times for you, and three for me,
And three times more, to make nine.
Quiet!—the spell is complete.

Enter Macbeth and Banquo.

MACBETH.
I've never seen a day that’s both so good and so bad.

BANQUO.
How far is it to Forres?—What are these,
So withered and wild in their clothing,
That they don’t look like they belong to this earth,
And yet they’re here?—Do you live? Or are you something
That a man can ask about? You seem to understand me,
As each of you lays a bony finger
On your skinny lips. You should be women,
And yet your beards make me doubt that you are.

MACBETH.
Speak, if you can;—who are you?

FIRST WITCH.
All hail, Macbeth! greetings to you, Thane of Glamis!

SECOND WITCH.
All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, Thane of Cawdor!

THIRD WITCH.
All hail, Macbeth! You will be king in the future!

BANQUO.
Good sir, why are you startled and seem to be afraid
Of things that sound so wonderful?—In the name of truth,
Are you just imagining things, or are you actually
What you appear to be? My noble partner
You greet with current grace and great predictions
Of noble wealth and royal hopes,
That he seems completely captivated. You don’t speak to me.
If you can see into the seeds of time,
And tell which grain will grow and which will not,
Then speak to me, as I neither beg for nor fear
Your favors or your scorn.

First Witch.
Hello!

SECOND WITCH.
Hey!

THIRD WITCH.
Hello!

FIRST WITCH.
Not as great as Macbeth, but greater.

SECOND WITCH.
Not exactly happy, but a lot happier.

THIRD WITCH.
You will have kings, even if you are not one:
So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!

FIRST WITCH.
Banquo and Macbeth, all praise!

MACBETH.
Wait, you strange speakers, tell me more.
By Sinel’s death, I know I'm Thane of Glamis;
But what about Cawdor? The Thane of Cawdor is still alive,
A wealthy gentleman; and to be king
Is just as unbelievable,
No more than being Cawdor. Tell me where
You got this weird information? Or why
You’re blocking our path on this cursed heath
With such prophetic words?—Speak, I command you.

Witches disappear.

BANQUO.
The earth has bubbles, just like the water does,
And these are some of them. Where have they gone?

MACBETH.
Into the air; and what seemed physical,
Melted like breath into the wind.
I wish they had stayed!

BANQUO.
Are there really things here that we talk about?
Or have we consumed some crazy substance
That makes us lose our minds?

Your kids will be kings.

You will be king.

MACBETH.
And Thane of Cawdor as well; is that correct?

BANQUO.
To the same tune and words. Who’s here?

Enter Ross and Angus.

ROSS.
The King has happily received news, Macbeth,
About your success, and when he reads
About your personal efforts in the battle against the rebels,
He wonders and praises you, arguing
Over who deserves credit: you or him. After that,
While reviewing the rest of the day,
He finds you among the brave Norwegian forces,
Not afraid at all of what you created,
Strange images of death. Reports came in thick and fast;
Everyone carried your praises for defending the kingdom
And laid them at his feet.

ANGUS.
We have been sent
To deliver thanks from our royal master;
Just to announce you before him,
Not to reward you.

ROSS.
And as a sign of an even greater honor,
He told me to call you Thane of Cawdor:
With this title, congratulations, most worthy thane,
For it is yours.

BANQUO.
What, can the devil really speak the truth?

MACBETH.
The Thane of Cawdor is alive: why are you putting me
In borrowed clothes?

ANGUS.
The Thane who was still alive,
But is living under heavy judgment for a life
He deserves to lose. Whether he was working
With those from Norway, or secretly aiding the rebels
With hidden support, or if he was involved in both
And caused damage to his country, I don't know;
But he has been overthrown by proven treason.

MACBETH.
[Aside.] Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor:
The best is yet to come. [To Ross and Angus.] Thanks for your efforts.
[To Banquo.] Don't you hope your kids will be kings,
Since those who made me Thane of Cawdor
Promised no less to them?

BANQUO.
That, trusted at home,
Could still spark your ambition for the crown,
Along with the Thane of Cawdor. But it’s strange:
And often, to lead us to our downfall,
The forces of darkness reveal truths;
They entice us with small, honest things, only to betray us
In the most serious ways.—
Cousins, I have a word to say, please.

MACBETH.
[Aside.] Two truths have been revealed,
As happy beginnings to the grand narrative
Of the royal theme.—Thank you, gentlemen.—
[Aside.] This supernatural invitation
Can't be bad; can't be good. If it's bad,
Why has it shown me signs of success,
Starting with a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor:
If it's good, why do I give in to that thought
Whose disturbing image makes my hair stand on end,
And makes my heart pound against my chest,
Against the natural order? Present fears
Are less than terrifying fantasies.
My thoughts, whose murder is still just an idea,
Shakes my whole being
So much that my ability to act is buried in doubt,
And nothing is real except what isn’t.

BANQUO.
Look how entranced our partner is.

MACBETH.
[Aside.] If fate wants me to be king, then fate can make it happen
Without me doing anything.

BANQUO.
New honors are being given to him,
Like our unusual clothes, they don't fit properly
But will adapt with time.

MACBETH.
[Aside.] Whatever happens, Time and the hours move on even during the toughest days.

BANQUO.
Valuable Macbeth, we’re waiting on your time.

MACBETH.
Give me your attention. My foggy mind was filled
With forgotten thoughts. Kind gentlemen, your efforts
Are noted where every day I turn
The page to read them.—Let’s go to the King.—
Think about what has happened; and when we have more time,
After we’ve had a chance to think it over, let’s speak
Openly with each other.

Absolutely.

MACBETH.
Until then, that's enough.—Come on, friends.

[Leave the stage.]

Flourish. Enter Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lennox and Attendants.

DUNCAN.
Is the execution of Cawdor finished? Have those in charge not returned yet?

MALCOLM.
My lord,
They haven’t returned yet. But I talked
To someone who witnessed his death, and they reported
That he openly confessed his betrayals,
Begged for your Highness’ forgiveness, and expressed
Genuine remorse. Nothing in his life
Suit him as much as his choice to leave it; he died
Like someone who had carefully prepared for his death,
As if he were discarding the most precious thing he had
Like it was just a worthless item.

DUNCAN.
There's no skill
In figuring out someone's thoughts from their expression:
He was a man I completely trusted.

Enter Macbeth, Banquo, Ross and Angus.

O my dearest cousin!
The weight of my ingratitude is heavy on me right now.
You are so far ahead,
That even the fastest form of repayment is slow
To catch up to you. I wish you had deserved less;
Then the amount of thanks and payment
Could have been mine! All I can say is,
You deserve more than anyone can give.

MACBETH.
The service and loyalty I owe,
In doing it, pay for themselves. Your Highness’ role
Is to accept our duties: and our duties
Are to your throne and state, your children and servants;
Who do what they are supposed to, by ensuring everything
Is safe for your love and honour.

DUNCAN.
Welcome here:
I've started to invest in you, and I'll work
To help you thrive.—Noble Banquo,
You deserve just as much, and you should be recognized
For it, too. Let me embrace you
And hold you close to my heart.

BANQUO.
If I rise in status here,
The rewards are all yours.

DUNCAN.
My abundant joys,
Overflowing, try to mask themselves
In tears of sorrow. – Sons, relatives, thanes,
And you who are closest, listen,
We will pass our estate to
Our eldest, Malcolm; from now on we will call him
The Prince of Cumberland: this honor should
Not only belong to him alone,
But signs of greatness, like stars, should shine
On all who deserve it. – From here to Inverness,
And further unite us with you.

MACBETH.
The rest is work that doesn’t concern you:
I’ll be the one to bring the news, and make my wife happy
With your arrival;
So, I’ll respectfully take my leave.

DUNCAN.
My esteemed Cawdor!

MACBETH.
[Aside.] The Prince of Cumberland!—That’s a step
I either have to fall down on or jump over,
Because it’s in my path. Stars, hide your light!
Don't let any light see my dark and deep desires.
Let the eye ignore the hand, but still,
Let it fear what it doesn't want to see when it’s done.

[Leave.]

DUNCAN.
Absolutely, noble Banquo! He is incredibly brave;
And I am truly nourished by his praises.
It feels like a feast to me. Let’s go after him,
Whose concern has already gone ahead to welcome us:
He is an unmatched relative.

[Thrive. Exit.]

Enter Lady Macbeth, reading a letter.

LADY MACBETH.
“They approached me on my day of triumph, and I’ve learned from the most reliable sources that they possess more knowledge than mere humans. When I was eager to ask them more, they turned into mist and disappeared. While I stood there, amazed by it all, I received messages from the King, who greeted me as ‘Thane of Cawdor’; this was the same title the Weird Sisters had called me, and they hinted at what was to come, saying, ‘Hail, you will be king!’ I thought it would be good to share this with you (my dearest partner in greatness) so you wouldn’t miss out on the joy of knowing what greatness has been promised to you. Keep it close to your heart, and goodbye.”

Glamis, you are, and Cawdor; and you will be
What you are promised. Yet I fear your nature;
It is too full of the milk of human kindness
To take the quickest route. You want to be great;
You're not without ambition, but you lack
The ruthlessness that should come with it. What you desire greatly,
You would want to achieve morally; you wouldn’t play dirty,
And yet you would win incorrectly. You’d have, great Glamis,
What demands, “This you must do,” if you possess it;
And what you fear more to do,
Than wish it undone. Hurry here,
So I can whisper my ideas in your ear,
And empower you with my words
Against anything that keeps you from the crown,
Which fate and some supernatural help seem
To have destined for you.

Enter a Messenger.

What’s your news?

MESSENGER.
The King is coming tonight.

LADY MACBETH.
You’re crazy to say that.
Isn’t your master with him? If he were,
He would have let us know to get ready.

MESSENGER.
So, if it pleases you, it’s true. Our lord is on his way.
One of my guys got to him first,
Who, nearly out of breath, barely had
Enough energy to deliver his message.

LADY MACBETH.
Take care of him.
He has important news.

[Log out Messenger.]

The raven itself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements. Come, you spirits
That tend to mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
And fill me, from head to toe, completely
With the worst cruelty! thicken my blood,
Block the access and passage to remorse,
So that no feelings of guilt
Shake my deadly purpose, nor keep peace between
The outcome and it! Come to my woman’s breasts,
And turn my milk into poison, your murdering ministers,
Wherever in your invisible forms
You wait on nature’s mischief! Come, thick night,
And cover yourself in the darkest smoke of hell
So that my sharp knife can't see the wound it makes,
Nor heaven look through the blanket of darkness
To cry, “Stop, stop!”

Enter Macbeth.

Great Glamis, respected Cawdor!
Greater than both, by the future that’s ahead!
Your messages have taken me beyond
This clueless present, and I now feel
The future in this moment.

MACBETH.
My dearest love,
Duncan is coming here tonight.

LADY MACBETH.
And when does he leave?

MACBETH.
Tomorrow, as he plans.

LADY MACBETH.
Oh, never
Will the sun see tomorrow!
Your face, my thane, is like a book where people
Can read unusual things. To pass the time,
Act like the time; have a welcoming look in your eyes,
Your hands, your words: look like the innocent flower,
But be the snake beneath it. The one who’s coming
Must be prepared; and you will handle
Tonight’s big task for me;
Which will give us complete power and control
For all our nights and days ahead.

MACBETH.
We'll talk more later.

LADY MACBETH.
Just keep your head up;
Changing your mood means you're afraid.
Leave everything else to me.

[Exit.]

Hautboys. Macbeth's attendants.

Enter Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Banquo, Lennox, Macduff, Ross, Angus and Attendants.

DUNCAN.
This castle has a lovely location. The air
Gently and sweetly appeals
To our senses.

BANQUO.
This summer guest,
The martlet that frequents temples, shows us
By its cherished home that the air here
Is inviting: there’s no ledge, frieze,
Buttress, or corner of advantage that this bird
Hasn’t made into its hanging nest and breeding ground.
Where they most reproduce and gather, I've noticed
The air is pleasant.

Enter Lady Macbeth.

DUNCAN.
Look, look, our honored hostess!—
The love that comes our way can sometimes be a burden,
But we still appreciate it as love. Here, I’ll show you
How to ask God to bless us for your efforts,
And to thank us for any trouble we cause.

LADY MACBETH.
All our efforts,
Every task done twice over, and then some,
Would seem insignificant compared to the great honors
Your Majesty bestows upon us: both the ones from long ago,
And the recent acclaim added to them,
We are your humble servants.

DUNCAN.
Where’s the Thane of Cawdor?
We chased him close behind and meant
To serve him: but he rides well;
And his strong affection, quick as his spur, has helped him
Get home before us. Dear and gracious hostess,
We are your guests tonight.

LADY MACBETH.
Your servants always
Keep track of what’s theirs, themselves, and what belongs to them,
To settle their accounts at your Highness’ convenience,
Always ready to return what is yours.

DUNCAN.
Take my hand;
Lead me to our host: we think very highly of him,
And will keep showing him our kindness.
If you don’t mind, hostess.

[Exit.]

Hautboys and torches. Enter and pass over a Sewer and various Servants with dishes and service. Then enter Macbeth.

MACBETH.
If it were done when it’s done, then it’d be better
If it were done quickly. If the assassination
Could wrap up the consequences and earn
Success from it; this blow
Might be the beginning and the end—here,
But here, on this bank and shoal of time,
We’d skip the life to come. But in these situations
We still have judgment here; we just teach
Bloody lessons, which, once learned, come back
To haunt the one who created them. This fair justice
Makes us drink from our own poisoned chalice.
He’s here in double trust:
First, as I am his relative and his subject,
Both reasons strong against the act; then, as his host,
Who should, against his murderer, close the door,
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Has carried out his duties so meekly, has been
So clear in his high office, that his virtues
Will plead like angels, with loud voices, against
The deep damnation of his murder;
And pity, like a naked newborn baby,
Striding through the storm, or heaven’s cherubs, carried
By the invisible messengers of the air,
Shall make the horrid deed known to every eye,
So that tears will drown the wind.—I have no urge
To prod the sides of my intent, except for
Vaulting ambition, which leaps too high
And falls on the other side—

Enter Lady Macbeth.

What's up? Any news?

LADY MACBETH.
He’s almost eaten. Why did you leave the room?

MACBETH.
Has he asked for me?

LADY MACBETH.
Don't you know he has?

MACBETH.
We're not going any further with this:
He has honored me recently; and I've gained
High praise from all kinds of people,
Which should be shown off now at their best,
Not tossed aside so quickly.

LADY MACBETH.
Was your hope just a drunken fantasy
You dressed yourself in? Has it been asleep since?
And is it waking now, looking so green and pale
At what it did so freely? From this moment,
That’s how I see your love. Are you afraid
To be as brave in action and courage
As you are in your desires? Would you want what
You consider the highlight of life,
And live as a coward in your own eyes,
Letting “I dare not” follow “I would,”
Like the poor cat in the saying?

MACBETH.
Please, stop!
I’m willing to do anything that is fitting for a man;
Anyone who dares to do more isn’t really a man.

LADY MACBETH.
What kind of beast was it, then,
That made you share this plan with me?
When you were willing to act, then you were a man;
And to become more than you were, you would
Be that much more of a man. Neither time nor place
Were right then, yet you would create both:
They’ve arranged themselves, and that makes you unfit now.
I have nursed a child, and I know
How tender it is to love the baby that feeds from me:
I would, while it was smiling in my face,
Have pulled my nipple from his toothless gums
And smashed his brains out, had I sworn like you
Have done to this.

MACBETH.
What if we fail?

LADY MACBETH.
Will we fail?
Just gather your courage and we won't fail. When Duncan is asleep
(And his long day of travel will make him sleep soundly), his two attendants
I will convince with wine and revelry
So that memory, the guard of the mind,
Becomes a haze, and the capability to reason
Only a tool: when in deep sleep
Their soaked bodies lie as if they are dead,
What can’t you and I achieve against
The defenseless Duncan? What can’t we place on
His compliant officers, who will take the blame
For our great deed?

MACBETH.
Only bring forth male children;
Because your fearless spirit should create
Nothing but boys. Won't it be believed,
When we’ve marked those two sleeping men
In his chamber with blood, and used their own daggers,
That they did it?

LADY MACBETH.
Who dares take it any other way,
As we will make our sorrows and cries loud
At his death?

MACBETH.
I’ve made up my mind and focused
Every part of me on this terrible act.
Now, let’s put on a good front:
A deceptive appearance must conceal what my deceitful heart knows.

[Exit.]

Enter Banquo and Fleance with a torch.

BANQUO.
How's the night, kid?

FLEANCE.
The moon has set; I haven't heard the clock.

BANQUO.
And she leaves at midnight.

FLEANCE.
I think it’s later, sir.

BANQUO.
Wait, take my sword.—There’s thrift in heaven;
Their lights are all out. Here, take this too.
A heavy call weighs like lead on me,
And still I don’t want to sleep. Merciful powers,
Keep the cursed thoughts that come to me in rest at bay!

Enter Macbeth and a Servant with a flashlight.

Give me my sword. — Who's there?

MACBETH.
A buddy.

BANQUO.
What, sir, still not resting? The King is in bed:
He’s been unusually happy and
Has sent generous gifts to your offices.
This diamond he sends as a greeting to your wife,
Calling her the best hostess, and is filled
With immense satisfaction.

MACBETH.
Since we weren't ready,
Our desire became a servant to failure,
Which otherwise could have easily achieved success.

BANQUO.
Everything's good.
I dreamed last night about the three Weird Sisters:
They revealed some truth to you.

MACBETH.
I don't think about them:
But when we can find an hour to talk,
We would spend it discussing that matter,
If you would allow the time.

BANQUO.
At your convenience.

MACBETH.
If you stick with my plan when the time comes,
It will bring you honor.

BANQUO.
So I don’t lose anything
By trying to increase it, while still keeping
My heart free and my loyalty clear,
I’ll take advice.

Macbeth.
Rest easy for now!

BANQUO.
Thanks, dude: you too.

[Banquo and Fleance exit.]

MACBETH.
Go tell your lady that when my drink is ready,
She should ring the bell. Now, go to bed.

[Leave, Servant.]

Is this a dagger I see in front of me,
The handle facing my hand? Come, let me grab it:—
I don’t have it, and yet I still see it.
Are you not, fatal vision, as real
To touch as to see? Or are you just
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Coming from the heat-affected brain?
I still see you, as real
As this one I’m drawing.
You guide me on the path I was taking;
And this is the weapon I meant to use.
My eyes are tricking all my other senses,
Or else they’re worth more than the rest: I still see you;
And on your blade and hilt, drops of blood,
Which weren’t there before.—There’s no such thing.
It is the bloody task that makes
My eyes see this.—Now over half the world
Nature seems dead, and evil dreams torment
The sleep under the curtains. Witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate’s offerings; and withered murder,
Alarmed by his watch, the wolf,
Whose howl is his warning, moves quietly,
With Tarquin’s stealthy steps, toward his goal
Like a ghost.—You solid and firm earth,
Don’t hear my steps, whichever way they go, for fear
That your very stones might talk about where I am,
And take the present horror from the moment,
Which now fits with it.—While I threaten, he lives.
Words give too little heat to the coldness of deeds.

A bell rings.

I leave, and it's over. The bell calls me.
Don’t listen to it, Duncan, because it's a death knell
That brings you to heaven or to hell.

[Leave.]

Enter Lady Macbeth.

LADY MACBETH.
What’s made them drunk has made me bold:
What has put them to sleep has ignited my fire.—Listen!—Quiet!
It was the owl that shrieked, the deadly bellman,
Who gives the harshest good night. He’s on it.
The doors are open; and the overindulged grooms
Are mocking their duty with snores: I have drugged their drinks,
So death and nature are fighting over them,
Whether they live or die.

MACBETH.
[Inside.] Who’s there?—hey!

LADY MACBETH.
Oh no! I’m afraid they’re awake,
And it’s not finished. The attempt and not the action
Confuses us.—Listen!—I set their daggers out;
He couldn’t have missed them.—If he hadn’t looked
Like my father while he slept, I would have done it.—My husband!

Enter Macbeth.

MACBETH.
I've done it.—Did you not hear a sound?

LADY MACBETH.
I heard the owl screech and the crickets chirp.
Did you not say anything?

MACBETH.
When's that?

LADY MACBETH.
Now.

MACBETH.
As I went down?

LADY MACBETH.
Yes.

MACBETH.
Listen!—Who’s in the next room?

LADY MACBETH.
Donalbain.

MACBETH.
This is a pathetic sight.

Looking at his hands.

LADY MACBETH.
It's a silly idea to call it a sad sight.

MACBETH.
One of them laughed in his sleep, and the other shouted, “Murder!”
They woke each other up: I stood there and listened.
But they said their prayers and went back to sleep.

LADY MACBETH.
There are two staying together.

MACBETH.
One cried, “God bless us!” and the other, “Amen,”
As they saw me with these guilty hands.
Listening to their fear, I couldn’t say “Amen,”
When they said, “God bless us.”

LADY MACBETH.
Don't think about it too much.

MACBETH.
But why couldn't I say "Amen"?
I really needed a blessing, and "Amen"
got stuck in my throat.

LADY MACBETH.
We can’t think about these actions this way; it will drive us crazy.

MACBETH.
I thought I heard a voice say, “Never sleep again!
Macbeth kills sleep,”—the peaceful sleep;
Sleep that untangles the frayed threads of worry,
The end of every day’s existence, a rest from hard work,
A healing balm for troubled minds, the essential follow-up of nature,
The main source of nourishment in life’s banquet.

LADY MACBETH.
What do you mean?

MACBETH.
It still cried, “Sleep no more!” to everyone in the house:
“Glamis has killed sleep, and so Cawdor
Will sleep no more. Macbeth will sleep no more!”

LADY MACBETH.
Who just shouted like that? Come on, noble thane,
You’re letting yourself get all worked up over nothing. Just go get some water,
And wash this disgusting evidence from your hands.—
Why did you bring these daggers back? They belong there: go take them back and smear
The sleeping guards with blood.

MACBETH.
I’m done:
I’m scared to think about what I’ve done;
I can’t bear to look at it again.

LADY MACBETH.
Weak-minded!
Hand me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead
Are just images. It’s the childish eye
That fears a painted monster. If he bleeds,
I’ll cover the faces of the attendants with it,
Because it has to look like they’re guilty.

[Leave. Knocking inside.]

MACBETH.
Where is that knocking coming from?
What’s wrong with me, when every sound terrifies me?
What hands are these? Oh no, they’re pulling out my eyes!
Will all of Neptune's great ocean wash this blood
Off my hands? No, my hands will instead
Make the countless seas turn red,
Turning the green water into crimson.

Enter Lady Macbeth.

LADY MACBETH.
My hands are the same color as yours, but I’m ashamed
To have such a cowardly heart. [Knocking inside.] I hear knocking
At the south entrance:—let’s go to our room.
A little water will wash away this deed:
How easy is it! Your strength
Has left you distracted.—[Knocking inside.] Listen, more knocking.
Put on your nightgown, in case someone calls us
And shows us as being awake. Don’t get lost
In your thoughts like this.

MACBETH.
To understand my actions, it’s better not to know who I am. [Knocking inside.]
Wake Duncan with your knocking! I wish you could!

[Exit.]

Enter a Porter. Knocking inside.

PORTER.
What a lot of knocking! If a guy were the doorkeeper to hell, he’d definitely be used to turning the key. [Knocking.] Knock, knock, knock. Who’s there, in the name of Beelzebub? Here’s a farmer who hanged himself waiting for a good harvest: come on in; make sure you have plenty of napkins; you’re going to sweat for it. [Knocking.] Knock, knock! Who’s there, in the other devil’s name? Well, here comes a guy who can swear on both sides, committed enough treason for God’s sake, yet couldn’t trick his way into heaven: oh, come on in, equivocator. [Knocking.] Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there? Well, here’s an English tailor who came here for stealing from a French pair of pants: come in, tailor; you can roast your goose here. [Knocking.] Knock, knock. Can't get any peace! What are you?—But this place is too cold for hell. I won't keep playing the devil’s doorman any longer: I thought I’d let in people from all walks of life, those who stroll the primrose path to the everlasting fire. [Knocking.] Just a moment, just a moment! Please, remember the porter.

[Opens the gate.]

Enter Macduff and Lennox.

MACDUFF.
Was it really that late, friend, when you went to bed,
That you're still lying here so late?

PORTER.
Honestly, sir, we were partying until the early morning; and alcohol, sir, is a strong cause of three things.

MACDUFF.
What three things does alcohol usually lead to?

PORTER.
Sure, sir, drinking, sleep, and urination. Lust, sir, it stirs things up and calms them down; it sparks desire but ruins performance. So, drinking can be seen as a trickster with lust: it builds him up and tears him down; it gets him excited, and then it cools him off; it encourages him, and then brings him down; it makes him ready and then not ready; in the end, it confuses him in sleep, and by deceiving him, it leaves him hanging.

MACDUFF.
I think drink made you lie last night.

PORTER.
It definitely did, sir, right in my throat; but I got back at him for his lie; and (I think) since I was too strong for him, even though he picked up my legs at times, I managed to throw him off.

MACDUFF.
Is your master up?

Enter Macbeth.

Our knocking has woken him; here he comes.

LENNOX.
Good morning, noble sir!

MACBETH.
Good morning, everyone!

MACDUFF.
Is the King awake, honorable thane?

MACBETH.
Not yet.

MACDUFF.
He told me to check in on him on time.
I’ve almost missed the hour.

MACBETH.
I’ll take you to him.

MACDUFF.
I know this is a happy burden for you;
But it’s still a burden.

MACBETH.
The work we enjoy takes away our pain.
This is the door.

MACDUFF.
I’ll take the liberty to call.
Because it’s part of my duty.

[Leave Macduff.]

LENNOX.
Is the King leaving today?

MACBETH.
He did. He set that up.

LENNOX.
The night has been wild: where we were lying,
Our chimneys were blown down and, as they say,
We heard cries in the air, strange screams of death,
And ominous predictions, with terrifying tones,
Of dreadful fires and chaotic events,
Just born into this tragic time. The dark bird
Screeched all night long. Some say the earth
Was feverish and shook.

MACBETH.
It was a rough night.

LENNOX.
I can't remember anyone like it when I was young.

Enter Macduff.

MACDUFF.
Oh no, no, no!
Neither my words nor my heart can imagine or describe what you are!

What's going on?

MACDUFF.
Chaos has now created his best work!
The most sacrilegious murder has broken open
The Lord’s anointed temple and taken away
The life of the whole place.

MACBETH.
What are you talking about? The life?

LENNOX.
Do you mean his majesty?

MACDUFF.
Go to the room and prepare to be shocked
By a sight that's too horrible to describe. Don't tell me to speak.
Just look, and then say what you have to say.

[Exit Macbeth and Lennox.]

Awake, awake!—
Ring the alarm bell.—Murder and betrayal!
Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm! wake up!
Shake off this soft sleep, the false sleep of death,
And face death itself! Get up, get up, and see
The image of our great doom. Malcolm! Banquo!
Rise up from your graves and walk like spirits
To confront this horror!

[Alarm bell rings.]

Enter Lady Macbeth.

LADY MACBETH.
What’s going on,
That such an awful trumpet summons
The people asleep in the house? Speak, speak!

MACDUFF.
Oh, gentle lady,
It’s not for you to hear what I have to say:
The repetition, in a woman’s ear,
Would be deadly as it came.

Enter Banquo.

O Banquo, Banquo!
Our king has been murdered!

LADY MACBETH.
Oh no, really?!
What, in our home?

BANQUO.
That's too harsh anywhere.—
Dear Duff, I beg you, go against yourself,
And say it's not true.

Enter Macbeth, Lennox, and Ross.

MACBETH.
If I had just died an hour before this moment,
I would have lived a blessed life; because, from now on,
There’s nothing meaningful in life.
Everything is just playthings: glory and honor are gone;
The wine of life is gone, and all that’s left
Is just this empty shell to boast about.

Enter Malcolm and Donalbain.

DONALBAIN.
What's wrong?

MACBETH.
You are, but you don't realize it:
The spring, the source, the fountain of your blood
Is blocked; the very source of it is blocked.

MACDUFF.
Your dad was murdered.

MALCOLM.
Oh, by whom?

LENNOX.
It looked like those in his room did it:
Their hands and faces were all covered in blood;
So were their daggers, which we found still bloody
On their pillows. They were staring and acting crazy;
No one could trust their lives with them.

MACBETH.
Oh, I still regret my rage,
That I killed them.

MACDUFF.
Why did you do that?

MACBETH.
Who can be wise, shocked, calm, and furious,
Loyal and neutral, all in an instant? No one:
The intensity of my violent love
Outpaces reason. Here lies Duncan,
His silver skin stained with his golden blood;
And his gaping wounds look like a breach in nature
For ruin’s destructive entry: there, the murderers,
Soaked in the colors of their trade, their daggers
Rudely smeared with blood. Who could hold back,
If they had a heart to love, and in that heart
The courage to show their love?

LADY MACBETH.
Help me out of here!

MACDUFF.
Watch the lady.

MALCOLM.
Why do we stay silent,
So that others can take credit for our argument?

DONALBAIN.
What needs to be said here, where our fate,
Hidden in a tiny hole, could suddenly come for us?
Let's get out of here. We haven't even cried yet.

MALCOLM.
Not even our deep sadness
Can hold us back from moving forward.

BANQUO.
Check on the lady:—

[Lady Macbeth is taken away.]

And when we hide our vulnerabilities,
That struggle when exposed, let’s come together,
And discuss this terrible act
To understand it better. Fears and doubts shake us:
In the great hand of God I stand; and from there
I fight against the hidden deceit
Of treacherous malice.

MACDUFF.
Me too.

ALL. So everything.

MACBETH.
Let's quickly get ourselves ready and meet in the hall.

All. Very happy.

[Everyone exits except Malcolm and Donalbain.]

MALCOLM.
What will you do? Let’s not associate with them:
Pretending to feel sorrow is something
That a dishonest person finds easy. I’m going to England.

DONALBAIN.
I’m going to Ireland. Our separate paths
Will keep us both safer. Where we are,
There are daggers in men’s smiles: the closer we are by blood,
The closer we are to danger.

MALCOLM.
This deadly arrow that’s been fired
Hasn’t found its target yet; our best bet
Is to steer clear of its path. So let’s mount up;
And let’s not be picky about saying goodbye,
But get out of here. There's justification in that escape
Which takes itself away when there’s no mercy left.

[They exit.]

Enter Ross and an Old Man.

OLD MAN.
I can clearly remember seventy years,
During which I've witnessed
Terrible hours and strange things, but this painful night
Has overshadowed all my previous experiences.

ROSS.
Ha, good father,
You see the heavens, troubled by man's actions,
Threatening his bloody stage: according to the clock, it's daytime,
And yet dark night chokes the traveling lamp.
Is it the dominance of night, or the shame of day,
That darkness buries the face of the earth,
When living light should be touching it?

OLD MAN.
It’s unnatural,
Just like the act that’s been committed. Last Tuesday,
A falcon, flying high in her pride,
Was hunted and killed by a mousing owl.

ROSS.
And Duncan’s horses (a truly strange and certain thing)
Beautiful and fast, the favorites of their breed,
Went wild in nature, broke out of their stalls, escaped,
Resisting obedience, as if they wanted to make
War with humanity.

OLD MAN.
It's said they eat each other.

ROSS.
They did that; to the amazement of my eyes,
That looked upon it.
Here comes the good Macduff.

Enter Macduff.

How's the world treating you, sir, now?

MACDUFF.
Why don't you see?

ROSS.
Is it known who committed this horrible act?

MACDUFF.
Those that Macbeth has killed.

ROSS.
Oh no, what a day!
What good could they possibly pretend?

MACDUFF.
They were bribed.
Malcolm and Donalbain, the King’s two sons,
Have run away and escaped; which casts suspicion on them
For the crime.

ROSS.
Against nature still:
Wasteful ambition, that will consume
Your own life’s resources!—Then it’s most likely
The power will fall to Macbeth.

MACDUFF.
He's already been named and has gone to Scone
To be crowned.

ROSS.
Where's Duncan's body?

MACDUFF.
Taken to Colmekill,
The sacred resting place of his ancestors,
And protector of their remains.

ROSS.
Are you going to Scone?

MACDUFF.
No, cousin, I’m heading to Fife.

ROSS.
Well, I will go there.

MACDUFF.
I hope you see everything done right there. Goodbye!
Let's hope our old clothes fit better than our new ones!

Goodbye, Dad.

OLD MAN.
God's blessing be with you; and with those
Who turn bad into good, and enemies into friends!

[They exit.]

Enter Banquo.

BANQUO.
You have it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, everything,
Just as the Weird Sisters promised; and, I worry,
You played a very dirty game to get it; yet it was said
That it wouldn’t last in your family;
But that I would be the root and father
Of many kings. If there’s truth in what they said
(As their words seem to shine on you, Macbeth)
Then, based on the truths you've received,
Why shouldn’t they be my prophecies too,
And give me hope? But wait; no more.

Sennet plays. Enter Macbeth as King, Lady Macbeth as Queen; Lennox, Ross, Lords, and Attendants.

MACBETH.
Here’s our main guest.

LADY MACBETH.
If he had been forgotten,
It would have been like a hole in our grand feast,
And totally inappropriate.

MACBETH.
Tonight we’re having a serious dinner, sir,
And I’d like you to be there.

BANQUO.
Let your Highness
Order me as you wish, to which my responsibilities
Are with a bond that can never be broken
Forever connected.

MACBETH.
Are you riding this afternoon?

BANQUO.
Yeah, my good lord.

MACBETH.
We should have asked for your wise advice
(Which has always been serious and successful)
In today’s meeting; but we will do it tomorrow.
Are you riding far?

BANQUO.
My lord, I just need to pass the time
Until dinner; if my horse isn’t feeling well,
I’ll have to borrow the night,
For an hour or two.

MACBETH.
Don't miss our feast.

BANQUO.
My lord, I won't.

MACBETH.
We've heard that our murderous relatives are hiding
In England and Ireland; they aren’t admitting
To their brutal crime, leaving everyone they talk to
With wild stories. But we'll discuss that tomorrow,
When we’ll have important matters to address together.
Get to your horses: goodbye,
Until you come back tonight. Is Fleance going with you?

BANQUO.
Yes, my good lord: it's time for us.

MACBETH.
I hope your horses are fast and sure-footed;
And I recommend that you ride them well.
Goodbye.—

[Exit Banquo.]

Let everyone manage their own time
Until seven in the evening; to make social gatherings
More enjoyable, we will spend time
Alone until dinner: until then, take care.

[Exit Lady Macbeth, Lords, &c.]

Sir, can we talk? Are you paying attention to those men? Is it our pleasure?

SERVANT.
They are, my lord, outside the palace gate.

MACBETH.
Bring them here.

[Exit Attendant.]

To be this way is nothing,
But to be safely this way. Our fears about Banquo
Run deep, and in his noble nature
Lies what should be feared: he dares a lot;
And with that fearless mindset of his,
He has a wisdom that guides his bravery
To act in safety. There’s no one but him
Whose existence I fear: and under him
My spirit is diminished; just like, they say,
Mark Antony’s was by Caesar. He scolded the sisters
When they first called me king,
And told them to speak to him; then, like a prophet,
They hailed him as the father of a line of kings:
They placed a worthless crown on my head,
And gave me a useless sceptre to hold,
Only to be taken away by someone not of my blood,
No child of mine succeeding. If that’s the case,
For Banquo’s descendants I’ve filled my mind;
For them, I've murdered the gracious Duncan;
Put bitterness in the vessel of my peace
Only for them; and given my eternal soul
To the common enemy of man,
To make them kings, the descendants of Banquo kings!
Rather than that, come, fate, into the ring,
And fight me to the end!—Who’s there?—

Enter Servant with two Murderers.

Now go to the door and wait there until we call you.

[Leave, servant.]

Wasn’t it just yesterday that we talked?

FIRST MURDERER.
It was, if it pleases Your Highness.

MACBETH.
So, have you thought about what I said? You should know
That it was he who, in the past, kept you
So reliant on luck, which you believed was
Our innocent self? I proved this to you
In our last talk, where I went over how
You were misled, how things went wrong, the players,
Who was involved, and everything else that could
Make someone half sane and half crazy
Say, “This was Banquo.”

FIRST MURDERER.
You keep us posted.

MACBETH.
I did that; and went even further, which is now
Our second meeting point. Do you think
Your patience is so strong in your nature,
That you can just let this go? Are you so virtuous,
That you pray for this good man and his family,
Whose harsh actions have brought you down to the grave,
And ruined yours forever?

FIRST MURDERER.
We’re guys, my lord.

MACBETH.
Yes, in the list, you are counted among men;
Like hounds, greyhounds, mutts, spaniels, curs,
Shoughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves are all
Called by the name of dogs: the valued category
Distinguishes the fast, the slow, the clever,
The caretaker, the hunter, each one
Based on the talent that generous nature
Has given him; by which he gets
A specific title from the list
That names them all the same: and so it is with men.
Now, if you have a position in the ranking,
Not in the lowest tier of manhood, say it;
And I will share that task with you,
Whose completion removes your enemy,
Binds you to our hearts and love,
Who carry our health but feel unwell in his life,
Which would be perfect with his death.

SECOND MURDERER.
I’m one of them, my king,
Whom the nasty blows and hits of the world
Have angered so much that I don’t care what
I do to get back at it.

FIRST MURDERER.
And I too,
So worn out by disasters, pulled down by fate,
That I’d gamble my life on any chance,
To fix it or get away from it.

MACBETH.
You both know that Banquo was your enemy.

BOTH MURDERERS.
Yes, your honor.

MACBETH.
He’s mine, and there’s such a bloody distance,
That every moment he exists feels like a blow
Against my very life; and even though I could
Easily make him disappear from my view,
And insist that it’s my will, I can’t do that,
Because of certain friends who are both his and mine,
Whose loyalty I can’t betray, but mourn his downfall
Even though I was the one who brought him down: and that’s why
I’m turning to you for help,
Hiding my true intention from everyone
For several important reasons.

SECOND MURDERER.
We will, my lord,
Do what you ask of us.

FIRST MURDERER.
Though our lives—

MACBETH.
You all look ready. Within the next hour at most,
I’ll tell you where to position yourselves,
And give you the perfect clue about the timing,
The moment for it; because it has to happen tonight
And I need something from the palace; I’ve always believed
That clarity is essential. And with him
(To avoid any mistakes in the plan)
Fleance, his son, who is with him,
Whose absence matters to me as much
As his father’s does, must face the fate
Of that dark hour. Decide on your own.
I’ll be with you soon.

BOTH MURDERERS.
We are determined, my lord.

MACBETH.
I'll call for you right away: stay inside.

[Exit Murderers.]

It’s over. Banquo, your soul's journey,
If it finds heaven, it has to discover it tonight.

[Leave.]

Enter Lady Macbeth and a Servant.

LADY MACBETH.
Has Banquo left the court?

SERVANT.
Yes, ma'am, but he’s coming back again tonight.

LADY MACBETH.
Tell the King I’d like to meet with him whenever he has a moment
For a quick chat.

SERVANT.
Sure, ma'am, I will.

[Log out.]

LADY MACBETH.
Nothing's gained, everything's lost,
Where our wishes are fulfilled but we’re still unsatisfied:
It’s safer to be the thing we’re trying to eliminate,
Than to live in uncertainty, enjoying what we’ve destroyed.

Enter Macbeth.

How's it going, my lord? Why do you isolate yourself,
Surrounding yourself with the saddest thoughts,
Holding on to ideas that should have faded away
With those who have passed on? Things that can’t be changed
Should be ignored: what's done is done.

MACBETH.
We’ve wounded the snake, but we haven’t killed it.
It will heal and become itself again while our petty malice
Is still at risk from its previous bite.
But let the structure of things fall apart,
Both worlds suffer,
Before we eat our meal in fear and lie down
In the torment of these terrible dreams
That disturb us every night. It’s better to be with the dead,
Whom we have sent to peace to find our own peace,
Than to lie in restless agony
With a troubled mind. Duncan is in his grave;
After life's restless fever, he sleeps well;
Treason has done its worst: neither steel nor poison,
Domestic evil, foreign threat, nothing
Can reach him anymore.

LADY MACBETH.
Come on,
Calm down, my lord; smooth out your harsh appearance;
Be cheerful and friendly with your guests tonight.

MACBETH.
I will, my love; and I hope you will too.
Remember Banquo;
Show him respect, both in how you look at him and what you say:
It's dangerous that we
Must wash our honor in these flattering lies,
And put on masks to hide our true feelings,
Disguising who we really are.

LADY MACBETH.
You need to leave this.

MACBETH.
Oh, my mind is full of scorpions, dear wife!
You know that Banquo and his son Fleance are alive.

LADY MACBETH.
But in them, nature's copy isn't eternal.

MACBETH.
There’s still some comfort; they are vulnerable.
So be cheerful. Before the bat has taken flight
In its hidden path, before the shard-born beetle
Answers Hecate’s call with its sleepy buzz,
And the night has opened its ears, a terrible deed
Will be done.

LADY MACBETH.
What should we do?

MACBETH.
Stay unaware of the truth, my dear,
Until you celebrate the act. Come, dark night,
Cover up the gentle eye of the pitiful day,
And with your bloody and unseen hand
Destroy and rip apart that great bond
That keeps me pale!—Light is fading; and the crow
Flies off to the dark woods.
Good things of the day start to droop and doze,
While night’s dark agents stir to hunt their prey.
You’re surprised by my words: but just hold on;
Evil deeds strengthen themselves through more evil.
So please, come with me.

[They exit.]

Enter three killers.

FIRST MURDERER.
But who asked you to team up with us?

THIRD MURDERER.
Macbeth.

SECOND MURDERER.
He doesn't need our suspicion; since he hands over
Our duties and what we have to do
To the right direction.

FIRST MURDERER.
Then stand with us.
The west still shines with some hints of daylight.
Now the late traveler hurries on,
To reach the inn in time; and the one we’re watching
Is drawing near.

THIRD MURDERER.
Hey! I hear horses.

BANQUO.
[Inside.] Can someone bring us a light?

SECOND MURDERER.
Then it’s him; the others
Who are on the list of those waiting
Are already in the court.

FIRST MURDERER.
His horses are roaming.

THIRD MURDERER.
Almost a mile; but he usually,
Like all men do, walks this way to the palace gate.

Enter Banquo and Fleance holding a torch.

Light, light!

THIRD MURDERER.
It’s him.

First Murderer.
Get ready.

BANQUO.
It will rain tonight.

FIRST MURDERER.
Let it fall.

[Attacks Banquo.]

BANQUO.
Oh, betrayal! Run, good Fleance, run, run, run!
You can take revenge—Oh, coward!

[Dies. Fleance gets away.]

THIRD MURDERER.
Who turned off the light?

FIRST MURDERER.
Wasn’t it the way?

THIRD MURDERER.
There's only one down: the son has escaped.

SECOND MURDERER.
We've lost the best part of our plan.

FIRST MURDERER.
Alright, let’s go and see how much has been accomplished.

[Exit.]

A banquet is ready. Enter Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Ross, Lennox Lords and Attendants.

MACBETH.
You know your places, take a seat. A warm welcome to you all, from start to finish.

Lords.
Thanks, Your Majesty.

MACBETH.
I will join the social gathering
And act as a gracious host.
Our hostess maintains her dignity; but at the right moment,
We will expect her to greet us.

LADY MACBETH.
Say it for me, sir, to all our friends;
Because my heart says they are welcome.

Enter first Murderer at the door.

MACBETH.
Look, they're greeting you with their heartfelt thanks.
Both sides are equal: I'll sit right here in the middle.

Be joyful; soon we’ll share a drink together at the table. There’s blood on your face.

MURDERER.
It's Banquo's then.

MACBETH.
It's better for you to be out than him to be in.
Has he been taken care of?

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

MACBETH.
You're the best of the assassins;
But he's good who did the same for Fleance:
If you did it, you're unmatched.

Murderer.
Most royal sir,
Fleance escaped.

MACBETH.
Here comes my issue again: I would have been just fine;
Solid as marble, strong as a rock,
As expansive and open as the surrounding air:
But now I feel trapped, restricted, confined, tied down
By disrespectful doubts and fears. But Banquo’s okay?

MURDERER.
Yes, my good lord. He lies safely in a ditch,
With twenty deep cuts on his head;
It's enough to be a death to nature.

MACBETH.
Thanks for that.
There lies the full-grown serpent; the worm that escaped
Has a nature that will eventually produce venom,
No teeth for now.—Get out of here; tomorrow
We’ll listen to it ourselves again.

[Exit Killer.]

LADY MACBETH.
My royal lord,
You’re not enjoying yourself: the feast is a rare occasion
That doesn’t happen often while it’s being prepared,
It’s shared with joy. It’s better to eat at home;
There, the sauce for the meal is the celebration;
Gathering would be dull without it.

The ghost of Banquo appears and takes Macbeth's seat.

MACBETH.
Sweet reminder!—
Now, good digestion follow appetite,
And health for both!

LENNOX.
Might it please your Highness to sit?

MACBETH.
Right now, our country’s honor would be secure
if Banquo, who deserves so much, were here;
I’d rather question him for being unkind
than feel sorry for his bad luck!

ROSS.
His absence, sir,
Makes it clear he broke his promise. Would you, Your Highness,
Be kind enough to join us?

MACBETH.
The table is full.

LENNOX.
Here's a reserved space, sir.

MACBETH.
Where?

LENNOX.
Here, my good lord. What’s going on that’s troubling you, Your Highness?

MACBETH.
Who did this?

LORDS.
What is it, my lord?

MACBETH.
You can't say I did it. Don't shake
Your bloody hair at me.

ROSS.
Gentlemen, please stand; his Highness isn't feeling well.

LADY MACBETH.
Please, sit down, esteemed friends. My husband is often like this,
And has been since he was young: I urge you to stay seated;
This episode is brief; with just a moment's thought,
He will be fine again. If you pay too much attention to him,
You might upset him, and make his feelings worse.
Eat and don’t pay him any mind.—Are you a man?

MACBETH.
Yeah, and a brave one, who can look at that
Which could scare the devil.

LADY MACBETH.
Oh come on!
This is just a reflection of your fear:
It's like the imagined dagger you talked about,
That led you to Duncan. Oh, these twitches and jumps
(Which pretend to be real fear) would fit
A woman’s tale by the fire on a winter’s night,
Shared by her grandmother. What a shame!
Why are you making those faces? When it’s all said and done,
You’re just looking at a chair.

MACBETH.
Please, look over there!
Look! See! What do you think?
Why should I care? If you can nod, then you can speak too.—
If graveyards and our tombs have to send
Back those we buried, then our monuments
Will be the stomachs of vultures.

Ghost vanishes.

LADY MACBETH.
What, entirely powerless and foolish?

MACBETH.
If I’m standing here, I saw him.

Lady Macbeth.
Ugh, how embarrassing!

MACBETH.
Blood has been spilled before, in ancient times,
Before human laws cleansed the noble realm;
Yes, and even since then, murders have happened
That are too horrifying to hear about: there was a time,
When a man would die once his brains were out,
And that was that; but now they rise again,
With twenty deadly murders weighing on their heads,
And push us from our seats. This is stranger
Than such a murder.

LADY MACBETH.
My dear lord,
Your esteemed friends miss you.

MACBETH.
I’m sorry, I forgot.—
Please don’t stare at me, my very dear friends.
I have a weird condition that means nothing
To those who really know me. Cheers to love and good health for everyone;
Now I’ll sit down.—Pour me some wine, fill it up.—
I drink to the overall happiness of the whole table,
And to our good friend Banquo, whom we’re missing:
I wish he were here.

Ghost rises again.

To everyone, and to him, we crave,
And everyone for everyone.

Lords.
Our responsibilities and the promise.

MACBETH.
Get lost! Leave my presence! Let the earth cover you!
Your bones have no marrow, your blood is cold;
There’s no life in those eyes
That you’re glaring with!

LADY MACBETH.
Consider this, my friends,
Just as something that's usual: it’s nothing more,
It just ruins the enjoyment of the moment.

MACBETH.
What man dares, I dare:
Come at me like a fierce Russian bear,
The armed rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger;
Take any form but that, and my nerves
Will never shake: or be alive again,
And challenge me to the wilderness with your sword;
If I tremble then, call me
The baby of a girl. Get away, horrible shadow!
Unreal mockery, go away!

Ghost vanishes.

Why, since she's gone,
I'm a man again.—Please, sit still.

LADY MACBETH.
You've ruined the joy and disrupted the good gathering
With such a surprising chaos.

MACBETH.
Can things like this really happen,
And come at us like a summer cloud,
Without us being amazed? You make me feel so unusual
Even to the nature that I have,
When I think you can see such visions,
And still have the natural color in your cheeks,
While mine are pale with fear.

ROSS.
What sights, my lord?

LADY MACBETH.
Please, don't talk; he's getting worse and worse;
Asking questions just makes him angrier. Just say goodnight now:—
Don't worry about how you leave,
Just go right away.

LENNOX.
Good night; and may better health
Be with his Majesty!

LADY MACBETH.
Good night, everyone!

[All Lords and Attendants exit.]

MACBETH.
They say blood calls for more blood.
Stones have been known to move, and trees to talk;
Soothsayers and family connections have
Through magpies, choughs, and rooks revealed
The most secretive man of blood.—What time is it?

LADY MACBETH.
Almost confused about which is which, morning or night.

MACBETH.
What do you mean, that Macduff refuses to come
At our important request?

LADY MACBETH.
Did you send for him, sir?

MACBETH.
I hear about it, but I’ll send someone.
Everyone in their homes has someone on my payroll.
Tomorrow, I’ll visit the Weird Sisters
(I'll go early). They will have more to say; I’m determined to find out,
By any means necessary, the worst possible outcome. For my own benefit,
I’ll push through everything: I’ve spilled so much blood
That if I stop now, going back would be just as hard as moving forward.
I have strange ideas in my mind that need to be acted upon
Before they can be understood.

LADY MACBETH.
You’re missing what all living things need: sleep.

MACBETH.
Come on, let’s get some sleep. My weird behavior and self-inflicted pain
Are just the beginning of a fear that needs tough experience.
We’re still inexperienced in our actions.

[They exit.]

Thunder. Enter the three Witches meeting Hecate.

FIRST WITCH.
Why, what's wrong, Hecate? You look angry.

HECATE.
Don't I have a reason, you old hags,
So bold and brash? How dare you
To deal and trade with Macbeth
In riddles and matters of death;
And I, the master of your magic,
The one who plans all harm,
Was never called to play my part,
Or show the glory of our craft?
And, what’s worse, everything you’ve done
Has been for a wayward son,
Spiteful and angry; who, like others,
Loves for his own purposes, not for you.
But make it right now: get out of here,
And at the pit of Acheron
Meet me in the morning: there he
Will come to learn his fate.
Prepare your vessels and your spells,
Your charms, and everything else.
I'm off to the air; tonight I’ll spend
Towards a gloomy and fatal end.
Great things must be done before noon.
On the edge of the moon
There hangs a thick, misty drop;
I’ll catch it before it hits the ground:
And that, distilled by magical tricks,
Will conjure up such phantom sprites,
That, by the power of their illusion,
Will lead him to his downfall.
He will reject fate, mock death, and hold
His hopes above wisdom, grace, and fear.
And you all know, safety
Is mortals' greatest enemy.

[Music and song inside, “Come away, come away” &c.]

Listen! I'm being called; my little spirit, look,
Is sitting in a foggy cloud and waiting for me.

[Leave.]

FIRST WITCH.
Come on, let’s hurry; she’ll be back any minute.

[Leave the stage.]

Enter Lennox and another Lord.

LENNOX.
My earlier speeches have just echoed your thoughts,
Which can take them further: all I can say is,
Things have been bizarre. The gracious Duncan
Was mourned by Macbeth:—but he was dead:—
And the truly brave Banquo came too late;
You might say, if you like, that Fleance killed him,
Because Fleance ran away. Men shouldn’t be late.
Who can avoid thinking about how monstrous
It was for Malcolm and Donalbain
To kill their gracious father? A damnable act!
How it grieved Macbeth! Did he not immediately,
In righteous fury, attack the two offenders
Who were slaves to drink and lost in sleep?
Wasn’t that noble? Yes, and sensible too;
For it would have angered any living heart
To hear those men deny it. So, I say,
He has handled everything well: and I really believe,
That if he had Duncan’s sons under his control
(As, if heaven permits, he won’t) they’d realize
What it means to kill a father; so would Fleance.
But, hush!—because of harsh words and since he missed
His chance at the tyrant’s feast, I hear,
Macduff is living in disgrace. Sir, do you know
Where he is spending his time?

LORD.
The son of Duncan,
From whom this tyrant claims his rightful birth,
Is living in the English court and is welcomed
By the devout Edward with such kindness
That the cruelty of fate doesn’t take away
His high status. Macduff has gone there
To ask the holy king for help
To rouse Northumberland and the warrior Siward
So that, with their assistance (and God above
To bless the effort), we can once again
Have food on our tables, and sleep at night;
Free from our feasts and banquets stained with blood,
Perform our loyal duties, and receive honor freely,
All of which we long for now. This news
Has angered the King so much that he
Is getting ready for some kind of war.

LENNOX.
Did he send for Macduff?

LORD.
He did: and with a firm “Nope, not me,”
The shady messenger turns his back on me,
And hums, as if to say, “You’re going to regret the time
That traps me with this response.”

LENNOX.
And that would be wise
To advise him to keep some distance
With the wisdom he has. Some holy angel
Should fly to the English court and deliver
His message before he arrives, so that a quick blessing
Can soon return to our troubled country
Under a cursed hand!

LORD.
I'll send my prayers with him.

[Exit.]

Thunder. Enter the three Witches.

FIRST WITCH.
The striped cat has meowed three times.

SECOND WITCH.
Three times, and once the hedgehog whined.

THIRD WITCH.
Harpier calls:—It's time, it's time.

FIRST WITCH.
Around the cauldron we go;
Throw in the poisoned guts.—
Toad, hiding beneath a cold stone
For thirty-one days and nights
You’ve gathered up your sweltering venom,
Boil, you first, in the enchanted pot!

ALL.
Double, double, work and worry;
Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.

SECOND WITCH.
Fillet of a swamp snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg, and owl’s wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

ALL.
Double, double, work and play;
Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble away.

THIRD WITCH.
Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witch’s mummy, stomach and pit
Of the ravenous salt-sea shark,
Root of hemlock dug up in the dark,
Liver of a blasphemous Jew,
Gall of a goat, and slips of yew
Splintered in the moon’s eclipse,
Nose of Turk, and Tartar’s lips,
Finger of a stillborn babe
Delivered from a whore,
Make the gruel thick and heavy:
Add a tiger’s entrails,
For the ingredients of our cauldron.

ALL.
Double, double, work and trouble;
Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.

SECOND WITCH.
Chill it with a baboon’s blood.
Then the spell is strong and effective.

Enter Hecate.

HECATE.
Oh, great job! I appreciate your efforts,
And everyone will benefit from the rewards.
Now gather around the cauldron and sing,
Like elves and fairies in a circle,
Enchanting everything you add in.

[Music and a song: “Black Spirits,” etc.]

[Exit Hecate.]

SECOND WITCH.
Something feels off,
Something evil is approaching.
Open up, locks,
Whoever is knocking!

Enter Macbeth.

MACBETH.
What’s up, you hidden, dark, and midnight witches!
What are you doing?

ALL.
An unnamed deed.

MACBETH.
I urge you, by what you claim to be,
(However you came to know it) respond to me:
Even if you unleash the winds and make them battle
Against the churches; even if the frothy waves
Drown navigation; even if harvested crops are lodged, and trees are uprooted;
Even if castles collapse on their defenders;
Even if palaces and pyramids lean
Their tops to the ground; even if nature's treasures
All fall apart together,
Until destruction overwhelms, answer me
To what I ask you.

FIRST WITCH.
Talk.

SECOND WITCH.
Request.

THIRD WITCH.
We’ll respond.

FIRST WITCH.
Tell me, would you rather hear it from us,
Or from our masters?

MACBETH.
Call them, let me see them.

FIRST WITCH.
Add the blood of a sow that has eaten
Her nine piglets; throw in grease that’s been
Collected from the murderer’s gallows
Into the flame.

ALL.
Come on, whether you're important or not;
Show yourself and do your job well!

[i]Thunder. An apparition of an armed head appears.[/i]

MACBETH.
Tell me, you unknown power,—

FIRST WITCH.
He knows your thoughts:
Listen to what he says, but don’t say anything.

APPARITION.
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Watch out for Macduff;
Be cautious of the Thane of Fife.—Let me go.—That's enough.

[Going down.]

MACBETH.
Whatever you are, thanks for your wise warning;
You've hit my fear spot on.—But just one more thing.

FIRST WITCH.
He won’t be ordered around. Here’s another,
Stronger than the first.

[Thunder. A ghostly figure of a bloody child appears.]

Ghost.
Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!

MACBETH.
If I had three ears, I’d hear you.

APPARITION.
Be fierce, confident, and determined. Mock
The strength of man, for no one born of a woman
Will harm Macbeth.

[Going down.]

MACBETH.
Then go on living, Macduff: why should I be afraid of you?
But still, I’ll make sure of it,
And take a deal with fate. You won’t survive;
So I can tell cowardly fear to back off,
And sleep peacefully despite the chaos.

[Thunder. A ghostly image of a child wearing a crown, holding a tree in his hand, appears.]

What is this,
That rises like a king's heir,
And wears on his infant forehead the round
And crown of royalty?

ALL.
Listen, but don’t speak.

APPARITION.
Be brave and proud, and don’t worry
About who’s upset, who’s anxious, or where the plotters are:
Macbeth will never be defeated until
Great Birnam Wood comes to high Dunsinane Hill
To fight against him.

[Down we go.]

MACBETH.
That will never happen:
Who can make the forest move; tell the tree
To pull its roots from the ground? Sweet omens, good!
Rebellious spirit, rise never until the wood
Of Birnam rises, and our high-ranking Macbeth
Shall live out his natural life, breathing
To the rhythm of time and human customs.—Yet my heart
Pulses to know one thing: tell me, if your magic
Can predict so much, will Banquo’s descendants ever
Rule in this kingdom?

ALL.
Don't seek to know more.

MACBETH.
I'll be satisfied: if you deny me this,
Then an eternal curse will come down on you! Just tell me.
Why is that cauldron sinking? And what is that noise?

[Oboes.]

FIRST WITCH.
Show it!

SECOND WITCH.
Display!

THIRD WITCH.
Perform!

ALL.
Show your eyes, and break your heart;
Come like shadows, then disappear!

Eight kings appear in order, the last one holding a glass; Banquo follows.

MACBETH.
You look too much like Banquo's spirit. Get down!
Your crown burns my eyes:—and your hair,
You golden-browed one, is just like the first.
A third is like the former.—Filthy witches!
Why are you showing me this?—A fourth!—Wake up, eyes!
What, will the line stretch out to the end of time?
Another one!—A seventh!—I can't look anymore:—
And yet the eighth appears, holding a mirror
That shows me many more; and I see
That some carry double crowns and triple scepters.
Horrible sight!—Now I see it’s true;
For the bloody Banquo smiles at me,
And points at them for his own.—What! Is this real?

FIRST WITCH.
Yes, sir, that's true:—but why is Macbeth standing there so amazed?—
Come on, sisters, let’s lift his spirits,
And show him our best.
I’ll create a sound in the air,
While you dance your wild dance;
So this great king may kindly say,
That we greeted him well.

[Music. The Witches dance and disappear.]

MACBETH.
Where are they? Gone?—Let this terrible hour
Be cursed forever on the calendar!—
Come in, whoever's out there!

Enter Lennox.

LENNOX.
What does your Grace want?

MACBETH.
Did you see the Weird Sisters?

LENNOX.
No, my lord.

MACBETH.
Did they not come by you?

LENNOX.
No way, my lord.

MACBETH.
The air they ride through is poisoned;
And cursed are all who trust them!—I heard
The sound of galloping horses: who was it that passed by?

LENNOX.
It’s two or three people, my lord, who bring you news
that Macduff has fled to England.

MACBETH.
Ran away to England!

Sure, my lord.

MACBETH.
Time, you're speeding up my terrifying plans:
My fleeting intentions are never achieved
Unless I act on them. From now on,
Whatever my heart decides will be
What I do. And right now,
To turn my thoughts into actions, let’s make it happen:
I will ambush Macduff's castle;
Take over Fife; and with my sword
Kill his wife, his children, and all the innocent
Who follow him. No need to brag like an idiot;
I’ll carry out this plan before I lose my nerve:
But no more distractions!—Where are these gentlemen?
Come, take me to them.

[Exit.]

Enter Lady Macduff, her Son, and Ross.

LADY MACDUFF.
What did he do that made him leave the country?

ROSS.
You need to be patient, ma'am.

LADY MACDUFF.
He had none:
His escape was insane: when our actions fail,
Our fears turn us into traitors.

ROSS.
You don't know
Whether it was his intelligence or his fear.

LADY MACDUFF.
Wisdom! To abandon his wife, his kids,
His home, and his titles, in a place
From which he is fleeing? He doesn’t love us:
He lacks the natural connection; even the tiny wren,
The smallest of birds, will fight
For her chicks in the nest against the owl.
Everything is out of fear, and there’s no love;
There’s hardly any wisdom when such a choice
Goes completely against all reason.

ROSS.
My dearest cousin,
I urge you to take care of yourself; as for your husband,
He is noble, wise, and sensible, and knows
The mood of the times best. I can’t say much more:
But times are tough when we are labeled traitors,
And don’t even know who we are; when we keep rumors
Based on what we fear, yet don’t understand our fears,
But drift on a wild and chaotic sea
In every direction—I’ll take my leave of you:
It won’t be long before I’m back.
Things at their worst will either come to an end or rise
Back to what they were before.—My dear cousin,
Blessings upon you!

LADY MACDUFF.
He has a father, but he's still like a fatherless child.

ROSS.
I'm such a fool; if I stay any longer,
It would be my embarrassment and your unease:
I'm leaving right now.

[Leave.]

LADY MACDUFF.
Hey, your father's dead.
What are you going to do now? How will you survive?

SON.
Like the birds, mom.

LADY MACDUFF.
What, with worms and flies?

SON.
I mean what I get; and so do they.

LADY MACDUFF.
Poor thing! You’d never be afraid of the net or the trap,
The pitfall or the snare.

SON.
Why should I, mom? Those poor birds aren’t ready yet.
My dad isn’t dead, despite what you say.

LADY MACDUFF.
Yes, he's dead: what will you do without a father?

SON.
No, how will you manage to find a husband?

LADY MACDUFF.
Well, I could buy myself twenty at any store.

SON.
Then you’ll buy them to sell again.

LADY MACDUFF.
You're speaking with all your cleverness;
And honestly, that's clever enough for you.

SON.
Was my dad a traitor, mom?

LADY MACDUFF.
Yeah, he was.

SON.
What’s a traitor?

LADY MACDUFF.
Someone who makes promises and then breaks them.

SON.
And are all traitors who do that?

LADY MACDUFF.
Anyone who does that is a traitor and should be hanged.

SON.
Do all the ones who swear and lie really have to be hanged?

Everyone.

SON.
Who has to hang them?

LADY MACDUFF.
Why, the good guys.

SON.
Then the liars and swearers are idiots, because there are enough liars and swearers to overpower the honest people and get them hanged.

LADY MACDUFF.
Now, God help you, poor little one! But how will you manage without a father?

SON.
If he were dead, you'd cry for him; if you wouldn't, it would be a good sign that I should soon have a new dad.

LADY MACDUFF.
Poor chatterbox, how you talk!

Enter a Messenger.

MESSENGER.
Bless you, fair lady! I may not be known to you,
But I'm fully aware of your high status.
I fear some danger is coming your way:
If you’ll accept advice from a humble man,
Don’t stay here; leave with your children.
I think I’m being too harsh to frighten you like this;
To harm you would be pure cruelty,
Which is too close to you. May heaven protect you!
I can’t stay any longer.

[Log out.]

LADY MACDUFF.
Where should I run?
I’ve done nothing wrong. But I realize now
I’m in this earthly world, where doing harm
Is often praised; doing good is sometimes
Seen as a risky foolishness: so then, why,
Oh no,
Do I use that feminine defense,
To claim I’ve done no harm? What are these faces?

Enter Murderers.

FIRST MURDERER.
Where’s your husband?

LADY MACDUFF.
I hope you can't find him in a place so unholy.

FIRST MURDERER.
He's a traitor.

Son.
You lie, you shag-eared villain!

What, you coward!

Stabbing him.

Young traitors!

SON.
He’s killed me, mom:
Run away, please!

[i]Dies. Exit Lady Macduff, yelling “Murder!” and chased by the Murderers.[/i]

Enter Malcolm and Macduff.

MALCOLM.
Let’s find some lonely place to sit and there
Cry until we feel empty inside.

MACDUFF.
Let's instead
Take up our swords and, like brave men,
Stand over our fallen homeland. Each new morning
Brings more widows crying, more orphans mourning; new griefs
Hit heaven in the face, making it echo
As if it felt Scotland's pain, and cried out
Like a word of sorrow.

MALCOLM.
I’ll express what I believe;
What I know, I believe; and what I can fix,
As I find the time to help, I will.
What you’ve said might be true, perhaps.
This tyrant, whose name alone burns our tongues,
Was once considered honest: you cared for him;
He hasn’t harmed you yet. I’m young, but perhaps
You deserve something from him through me; and it’s wise
To offer up a weak, poor, innocent lamb
To placate an angry god.

MACDUFF.
I’m not treacherous.

MALCOLM.
But Macbeth is.
A good and virtuous nature can sometimes break down
Under a heavy burden. But I ask for your forgiveness.
What you are is beyond my understanding.
Angels are still bright, even though the brightest fell:
Even if everything evil pretends to be good,
Goodness must still appear as it is.

MACDUFF.
I've lost my hopes.

MALCOLM.
Maybe even there where I found my doubts.
Why, in that uncertainty, did you leave your wife and child,
Those precious reasons, those strong ties of love,
Without saying goodbye?—I ask you,
Don’t let my jealousy tarnish your honor,
But protect my own safety. You may be completely justified,
No matter what I might think.

MACDUFF.
Oh, how my country bleeds!
Great tyranny, you’re firmly in charge,
Because goodness doesn’t dare confront you! You wear your wrongs;
The title is confirmed.—Goodbye, my lord:
I wouldn’t want to be the villain you think I am
For all the land that’s under the tyrant’s control
And the wealthy East too.

MALCOLM.
Please don’t take offense:
I’m not speaking out of total fear of you.
I believe our country is collapsing under oppression;
It cries, it bleeds; and each new day adds
Another wound to its suffering. I also believe,
There would be supporters standing by my side;
And here, from generous England, I have a promise
Of many thousands: but despite all this,
When I finally step on the tyrant’s head,
Or carry it on my sword, my poor country
Will suffer even more vices than it did before,
More pain, and in more ways than ever,
Because of whoever comes next.

What should he do?

MALCOLM.
I'm talking about myself; I know
All the details of my vices so deeply rooted
That, when they are revealed, black Macbeth
Will seem as innocent as snow; and the poor state
Will regard him as a lamb, compared
To my endless troubles.

MACDUFF.
Not even in the armies
Of horrifying hell can there be a devil more damned
In evil than Macbeth.

MALCOLM.
I admit he’s violent,
Greedy, deceitful, and untrustworthy,
Quick to anger, vengeful, and guilty of every sin
You can name: but there’s no limit, none,
To my pleasure-seeking: your wives, your daughters,
Your noblewomen, and your servants couldn’t satisfy
The reservoir of my desire; and my cravings
Would overcome all barriers that got in my way: better Macbeth
Than someone like that to rule.

MACDUFF.
Excess in nature is a tyranny; it has
Led to the premature downfall of the happy throne,
And the fall of many kings. But don’t be afraid yet
To take what is rightfully yours: you can
Enjoy your pleasures in abundance,
And still appear detached—the time may allow you to deceive.
We have plenty of willing women; there can’t be
That greediness in you, to consume so many
As will commit to greatness,
Seeing it so inclined.

MALCOLM.
With this, my troubled feelings grow
Into an insatiable greed, that if I were king,
I'd take away the nobles' lands;
Covet his jewels, and that other person's house:
And my desire for more would just add to my hunger;
I would create unfair conflicts against the good and loyal,
Destroying them for their wealth.

MACDUFF.
This greed
Runs deeper; it takes hold with a more harmful root
Than summer's fleeting desire; and it has been
The weapon against our fallen kings: yet don’t be afraid;
Scotland has plenty to satisfy your wants,
All from your own means. All these are manageable,
When balanced with other qualities.

MALCOLM.
But I don’t have any: the qualities that make a great king—
Like justice, honesty, self-control, stability,
Generosity, determination, mercy, humility,
Commitment, patience, bravery, strength—
I don't really appreciate them; instead, I’m filled
With the desire to commit each individual crime,
Doing it in every possible way. In fact, if I had the power, I would
Pour the sweet milk of harmony into chaos,
Disturb the global peace, and confuse
All unity on earth.

MACDUFF.
Oh Scotland, Scotland!

MALCOLM.
If someone like that is suitable to lead, speak up:
I am as I have said.

MACDUFF.
Fit to govern?
No, not to live.—Oh, miserable nation,
With a tyrant who has no title and a bloody scepter,
When will you see good days again,
Since the rightful heir to your throne
Is accused because of his own actions
And insults his lineage? Your royal father
Was a truly sainted king. The queen who bore you,
Often spent more time on her knees than on her feet,
Died a little every day she lived. Farewell!
The evils you bring upon yourself
Have banished me from Scotland.—Oh my heart,
Your hope ends here!

MALCOLM.
Macduff, this noble passion,
Child of integrity, has cleansed my soul
Of dark doubts and brought my thoughts
In line with your good truth and honor. Wicked Macbeth
Has tried many tricks to draw me
Into his grasp, and wise caution keeps me
From rushing in too quickly: but God above
Will sort things out between you and me! For just now
I put myself in your hands, and
I can no longer speak poorly of myself; here I reject
The flaws and accusations I placed upon myself,
As they are foreign to my nature. I am still
Unknown to women; I have never been unfaithful;
I have barely desired what is my own;
At no time have I broken my promise; I would not betray
The devil to his fellow; and I take pleasure
No less in truth than in life: my first lie
Was this against myself. What I truly am,
Belongs to you and my poor country to command:
Before you arrived here,
Old Siward, with ten thousand men of war,
Was already on his way.
Now we’ll work together, and may the chance of goodness
Be just like our justified cause. Why are you silent?

MACDUFF.
It's tough to make sense of such mixed feelings.

Enter a Doctor.

MALCOLM.
Well; I’ll talk more later. Is the King coming out, please?

DOCTOR.
Yes, sir. There are a group of unfortunate souls
That prevent his healing: their sickness proves
The great test of skill; but with his touch,
Such holiness has heaven given his hand,
They quickly recover.

Thanks, doctor.

[Exit Doc.]

MACDUFF.
What’s the illness he means?

MALCOLM.
It’s called the evil:
A truly amazing thing about this good king;
Since I’ve been here in England,
I’ve seen him do it many times. He knows best how he pleads with heaven,
But he mysteriously visits people,
All swollen and ulcerous, pitiful to look at,
The very despair of surgery, and he heals them;
Hanging a golden amulet around their necks,
Put on with holy prayers: and it’s said,
He leaves the healing blessing to the future royalty.
With this strange power,
He has a heavenly gift of prophecy;
And various blessings surround his throne,
That show he is full of grace.

Enter Ross.

MACDUFF.
Look, who’s coming here?

MALCOLM.
He's from my country; but I still don't know him.

MACDUFF.
My dear cousin, welcome here.

MALCOLM.
I recognize him now. Good God, let's quickly take away
The things that make us strangers!

ROSS.
Sir, for sure.

MACDUFF.
Is Scotland where it was?

ROSS.
Oh, poor country,
Almost scared to face itself! It can’t
Be called our mother, but our grave, where nothing,
But those who know nothing, are ever seen to smile;
Where sighs, groans, and screams that tear the air,
Happen, but go unnoticed; where deep sorrow feels
Like a modern joy. The sound of a dead man's bell
Is hardly asked for; and good people’s lives
End before the flowers in their hats,
Dying before they even get a chance to suffer.

MACDUFF.
Oh, that's a bit too precise, and yet unfortunately true!

MALCOLM.
What’s the latest news?

ROSS.
An hour's worth of time makes the speaker hiss;
Every minute brings forth a new one.

MACDUFF.
How's my wife?

ROSS.
Well, why not?

MACDUFF.
And all my kids?

ROSS.
Same here.

MACDUFF.
Has the tyrant not shattered their peace?

ROSS.
No; they were perfectly fine when I left them.

MACDUFF.
Don't hold back your words: how's it going?

ROSS.
When I came here to deliver the news,
Which I’ve been carrying with great weight, I heard a rumor
About many brave men on the move;
This seemed more credible to me
Because I saw the tyrant’s forces in action.
Now is the time to act. Your presence in Scotland
Would inspire soldiers and make our women rise up,
To shed their terrible suffering.

MALCOLM.
Let them take comfort
We’re on our way there. Gracious England has
Sent us good Siward and ten thousand men;
There’s no older or better soldier than him
That Christendom can offer.

ROSS.
I wish I could respond
With comfort like this! But I have words
That would echo in the empty air,
Where no one should hear them.

MACDUFF.
What do they care?
Is it for the bigger picture? Or is it just a personal issue
that someone is dealing with?

ROSS.
No honest mind
Doesn't share some sorrow, although the main part
Is only about you.

MACDUFF.
If it's mine,
Don’t hold it back, just give it to me quickly.

ROSS.
Don’t let your ears ignore my words forever,
Because they will fill them with the heaviest sound
That they have ever heard.

MACDUFF.
Hmm! I can guess it.

ROSS.
Your castle is taken; your wife and kids
Brutally killed. To describe how it happened
Would be like adding to the tragedy of your own death.

MALCOLM.
Merciful heaven!—
What, man! never pull your hat down over your face.
Express your sorrow. The grief that stays silent
Whispers to the overwhelmed heart and makes it break.

My kids too?

ROSS.
Wife, kids, staff, all
That could be gathered.

MACDUFF.
I have to leave!
Did my wife get killed too?

ROSS.
I said it.

MALCOLM.
Stay strong:
Let’s turn our pain into a powerful revenge,
To heal this deep sorrow.

MACDUFF.
He doesn't have any kids.—All my sweet ones?
Did you really say all?—O hell-kite!—All of them?
What, all my lovely chickens and their mother
In one swift blow?

MALCOLM.
Defend it like a man.

MACDUFF.
I will do that;
But I also have to feel it like a man:
I can't help but remember that those things existed,
That were so precious to me.—Did heaven watch,
And refuse to help? Sinful Macduff,
They all suffered because of you! Nothing I am,
Not because of their faults, but because of mine,
Brought this brutal end to their lives: may heaven give them peace now!

MALCOLM.
Let this be the sharpening stone for your sword. Turn your grief into anger; don't dull your heart, fuel it with rage.

MACDUFF.
Oh, I could cry like a woman,
And talk big!—But, dear heavens,
End this pause; face to face,
Bring this devil of Scotland to me;
Place him within reach of my sword; if he escapes,
Heaven forgive him too!

MALCOLM.
This tune sounds strong.
Come on, let’s go to the King. Our forces are prepared;
What we lack is just permission. Macbeth
Is ready to be overthrown, and the powers above
Are gearing up. Take what comfort you can;
The night is long that never sees the day.

[Leave the stage.]

Enter a Doctor of Medicine and a Lady-in-Waiting.

DOCTOR.
I've stayed up with you for two nights, but I can't find any truth in what you're saying. When was the last time she walked?

GENTLEWOMAN.
Since the King went to battle, I have seen her get out of bed, throw on her nightgown, unlock her closet, take out some paper, fold it, write on it, read it, seal it, and then go back to bed; yet all this time, she was still deeply asleep.

DOCTOR.
It's a strange disturbance in nature to experience the benefits of sleep while also showing the effects of being awake. In this restless state, besides her walking and other actions, what have you heard her say at any point?

GENTLEWOMAN.
That, sir, is something I won't share about her.

DOCTOR.
You can talk to me; and it’s only right that you do.

GENTLEWOMAN.
Not to you or anyone else; I have no one to back me up.

Enter Lady Macbeth with a candle.

Look, here she comes! This is her exact appearance; and, I swear, she's fast asleep. Watch her; stand close.

DOCTOR.
How did she get that light?

GENTLEWOMAN.
Well, it’s always there for her: she has light with her all the time; it’s her will.

DOCTOR.
You see, her eyes are open.

GENTLEWOMAN.
Yes, but their minds are closed.

DOCTOR.
What is she doing now? Look at how she's rubbing her hands.

GENTLEWOMAN.
It's a usual thing for her to act like she's washing her hands. I've seen her go on like this for about fifteen minutes.

LADY MACBETH.
But here's a spot.

DOCTOR.
Listen, she’s speaking. I’ll write down what she says to make my memory of it stronger.

LADY MACBETH.
Get out, you damn spot! Get out, I say! One; two. Well, then it’s time to do it. Hell is dark! Shame on you, my lord, shame! A soldier, and scared? Why should we be afraid when no one can challenge our power? Yet who would have thought the old man had so much blood in him?

DOCTOR.
Do you see that?

LADY MACBETH.
The Thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?—What, will these hands never be clean? No more of that, my lord, no more of that: you ruin everything with this jumping at shadows.

DOCTOR.
Come on, come on. You’ve learned things you shouldn’t have.

GENTLEWOMAN.
She has said things she shouldn't have, I'm sure of that: only heaven knows what she has really known.

LADY MACBETH.
I can still smell the blood: all the perfumes of Arabia won't make this little hand smell sweet. Oh, oh, oh!

DOCTOR.
What a sigh there is! The heart is heavily burdened.

GENTLEWOMAN.
I wouldn't want to have such a heart inside me for all the honor in the world.

DOCTOR.
Well, well, well.

Ma'am.
I hope so, sir.

DOCTOR.
This illness is beyond my expertise: however, I have encountered people who have walked in their sleep and passed away peacefully in their beds.

LADY MACBETH.
Wash your hands, put on your nightgown; don’t look so pale. I’m telling you again, Banquo’s buried; he can’t come out of his grave.

DOCTOR.
Still, is that so?

LADY MACBETH.
Time for bed, time for bed. There’s someone knocking at the gate. Come on, come on, come on, give me your hand. What’s done is done. Time for bed, time for bed, time for bed.

[Log out.]

DOCTOR.
Is she going to bed now?

LADY.
Straightforward.

DOCTOR.
Strange whispers are everywhere. Unnatural acts
Bring about unnatural problems: troubled minds
Will spill their secrets onto their silent pillows.
She needs divine help more than a doctor.—
God, God, forgive us all! Take care of her;
Remove anything that could disturb her,
And always keep watch over her. So, good night:
She has captured my thoughts and astonished my sight.
I think, but I don’t dare to say it.

Lady.
Good night, doctor.

[Exit.]

Enter, with drum and colors Menteith, Caithness, Angus, Lennox and Soldiers.

MENTEITH.
The English army is close, led by Malcolm,
His uncle Siward, and the brave Macduff.
They are driven by revenge; their important causes
Would stir up the deadened man at the sound
Of the bloody and harsh alarm.

ANGUS.
Near Birnam Wood
We should meet them there. That's the way they're coming.

CAITHNESS.
Who knows if Donalbain is with his brother?