Macbeth Act 3 Scene 3
A park near the palace. Dusk.
The Original
Plain Modern English
Enter three Murderers.
First Murderer
But who did bid thee join with us?
First Murderer
Hold on — who told you to join us?
Third Murderer
Macbeth.
Third Murderer
Macbeth. (Who IS this guy? Scholars have theories. Nobody knows.)
Second Murderer
He needs not our mistrust, since he delivers
Our offices and what we have to do
To the direction just.
Second Murderer
No reason to distrust him — he's got our assignment
and our instructions
down to the letter.
First Murderer
Then stand with us.
The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day:
Now spurs the lated traveller apace
To gain the timely inn; and near approaches
The subject of our watch.
First Murderer
Then stand with us.
There's still a glimmer of daylight in the west.
This is the hour the running-late traveler spurs his horse
to reach the inn before dark — and the man we're waiting for
is nearly here.
Third Murderer
Hark! I hear horses.
Third Murderer
Quiet — I hear horses.
Banquo
[Within] Give us a light there, ho!
Banquo
(offstage) A light over here, please!
Second Murderer
Then 'tis he: the rest
That are within the note of expectation
Already are i' the court.
Second Murderer
That's him. Everyone else
who's expected tonight
is already inside the palace.
First Murderer
His horses go about.
First Murderer
His horses are being taken the long way around.
Third Murderer
Almost a mile: but he does usually,
So all men do, from hence to the palace gate
Make it their walk.
Third Murderer
Almost a mile. But he always walks
the last stretch to the palace gate on foot —
everyone does.
Second Murderer
A light, a light!
Second Murderer
A light — a light!
Enter Banquo, and Fleance with a torch.
Third Murderer
'Tis he.
Third Murderer
It's him.
First Murderer
Stand to't.
First Murderer
Ready.
Banquo
It will be rain to-night.
Banquo
Rain tonight, I think.
First Murderer
Let it come down.
First Murderer
Then let it come down. (And they strike on the pun.)
They set upon Banquo.
Banquo
O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!
Thou mayst revenge. O slave!
Banquo
Treachery! Run, Fleance — run, run, RUN!
Live, and avenge me! — Oh, you dog!
Banquo dies. Fleance escapes into the darkness.
Third Murderer
Who did strike out the light?
Third Murderer
Who knocked out the light?
First Murderer
Wast not the way?
First Murderer
Wasn't that the plan?
Third Murderer
There's but one down; the son is fled.
Third Murderer
There's only one body. The son's gone.
Second Murderer
We have lost
Best half of our affair.
Second Murderer
Then we've lost
the better half of the job.
First Murderer
Well, let's away, and say how much is done.
First Murderer
Well — let's go tell him how much got done.
Exeunt.