THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

Act 1 Scene 7

(Hautboys. Torches. Enter a sewer and divers servants with dishes and service over the stage. Then enter Macbeth)
l1l	Macbeth	 If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well
l2l		It were done quickly. If th’ assassination
l3l		Could trammel up the consequence, and catch
l4l		With his surcease success: that but this blow
l5l		Might be the be-all and the end-all, here,
l6l		But here upon this bank and shoal of time,
l7l		We’d jump the life to come. But in these cases
l8l		We still have judgement here, that we but teach
l9l		Bloody instructions which, being taught, return
l10l		To plague th’ inventor. This even-handed justice
l11l		Commends th’ ingredience of our poisoned chalice
l12l		To our own lips. He’s here in double trust:
l13l		First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
l14l		Strong both against the deed# then, as his host,
l15l		Who should against his murderer shut the door,
l16l		Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
l17l		Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
l18l		So clear in his great office, that his virtues
l19l		Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against
l20l		The deep damnation of his taking-off,
l21l		And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
l22l		Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubin, horsed
l23l		Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
l24l		Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye
l25l		That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur
l26l		To prick the sides of my intent, but only
l27l		Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself
l28l		And falls on th’ other.
		(Enter Lady Macbeth)
		 How now? What news?
l29l	Lady Macbeth	He has almost supped. Why have you left the chamber?
l30l	Macbeth	Hath he asked for me?
	Lady Macbeth	Know you not he has?
l31l	Macbeth	We will proceed no further in this business.
l32l		He hath honoured me of late, and I have bought
l33l		Golden opinions from all sorts of people,
l34l		Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,
l35l		Not cast aside so soon.
	Lady Macbeth	Was the hope drunk
l36l		Wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since?
l37l		And wakes it now to look so green and pale
l38l		At what it did so freely? From this time
l39l		Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard
l40l		To be the same in thine own act and valour
l41l		As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that
l42l		Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life,
l43l		And live a coward in thine own esteem,
l44l		Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would”,
l45l		Like the poor cat i’ th’ adage?
	Macbeth	Prithee, peace.
l46l		I dare do all that may become a man#
l47l		Who dares do more is none.
	Lady Macbeth	What beast was ’t then
l48l		That made you break this enterprise to me?
l49l		When you durst do it, then you were a man#
l50l		And to be more than what you were, you would
l51l		Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place
l52l		Did then adhere, and yet you would make both.
l53l		They have made themselves, and that their fitness now
l54l		Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know
l55l		How tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me.
l56l		I would, while it was smiling in my face,
l57l		Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums
l58l		And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn
l59l		As you have done to this.
	Macbeth	If we should fail?
	Lady Macbeth	We fail!
l60l		But screw your courage to the sticking-place
l61l		And we’ll not fail. When Duncan is asleep—
l62l		Whereto the rather shall his day’s hard journey
l63l		Soundly invite him—his two chamberlains
l64l		Will I with wine and wassail so convince
l65l		That memory, the warder of the brain,
l66l		Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason
l67l		A limbeck only. When in swinish sleep
l68l		Their drenchèd natures lies as in a death,
l69l		What cannot you and I perform upon
l70l		Th’ unguarded Duncan? What not put upon
l71l		His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt
l72l		Of our great quell?
	Macbeth	Bring forth men-children only,
l73l		For thy undaunted mettle should compose
l74l		Nothing but males. Will it not be received,
l75l		When we have marked with blood those sleepy two
l76l		Of his own chamber and used their very daggers,
l77l		That they have done ’t?
	Lady Macbeth	Who dares receive it other,
l78l		As we shall make our griefs and clamour roar
l79l		Upon his death?
	Macbeth	I am settled, and bend up
l80l		Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.
l81l		Away, and mock the time with fairest show.
l82l		False face must hide what the false heart doth know.
		(Exeunt)
	[[ACT INTERVAL]]