Macbeth - Power and Corruption (Polanski's the Tragedy of Macbeth) Page #4

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... father to a line of kings.

Upon my head,

they placed a fruitless crown...

... and put a barren sceptre

in my grip.

Thence to be wrenched with an unlineal

hand, no son of mine succeeding.

If it be so...

... for Banquo's sons

have I defiled my mind.

For them the gracious Duncan

have I murdered.

To make them kings.

The seeds of Banquo kings.

Stay within call.

- Was it not yesterday we spoke?

- It was, Your Highness.

Well then now, have you

considered of my speeches?

Know that it was he in times past

which held you under fortune...

...which you thought had been

our innocent self.

You made this known to us.

Is patience so predominant in

your nature that you can let this go?

Are you so gospelled to pray

for this man and for his issue...

...whose heavy hand has bowed you to

the grave and beggared yours forever?

We are men, my liege.

Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men.

As hounds and greyhounds,

mongrels, spaniels, curs, shoughs...

...water-rugs and demi-wolves are

clept, all by the name of dogs.

And so of men.

Now, if you have a station

in the file...

...not in the worst rank

of manhood, say it.

And I will put that business

in your bosoms...

...whose execution takes

your enemy off...

...grapples you to the heart

and love of us...

...who wear our health

but sickly in his life...

...which in his death were perfect.

I am one whom the vile blows and

buffets of the world have so incensed...

...that I am reckless what I do

to spite the world.

And I another.

Both of you know

Banquo was your enemy.

- Ay, my lord.

- So is he mine!

Though I could with barefaced power

sweep him from my sight...

...and bid my will avouch it.

Yet I must not, for certain friends...

...that are both his and mine,

whose loves I may not drop.

And thence it is, that I to

your assistance do make love...

...masking the business from the

common eye for sundry weighty reasons.

- We shall perform what you command.

- Your spirits shine through you.

It must be done tonight,

and some way from the palace.

And with him, to leave no rubs

nor botches in the work...

...Fleance, his son

that keeps him company...

...whose absence is no less material

to me than is his father's...

...must embrace the fate

of that dark hour.

- Resolve yourselves apart.

- We are resolved, my lord.

Advise them where

to plant themselves.

How now, my lord?

Why do you keep alone...

...of sorriest fancies

your companions making?

Things without all remedy should be

without regard. What's done is done.

We have scorched the snake,

not killed it.

But let the frame of things disjoint.

Ere we'll eat our meal in fear...

...and sleep in the affliction of the

terrible dreams that shake us nightly.

Better be with the dead...

...than on the torture of the mind

to lie in restless ecstasy.

Duncan is in his grave.

After life's fitful fever,

he sleeps well.

Treason has done his worst.

Not steel, nor poison...

...malice domestic, foreign levy,

nothing can touch him further.

Come on. Gentle, my lord.

Sleek o'er your rugged looks.

Be bright and jovial

among your guests tonight.

So shall I, love.

And so, I pray, be you.

Full of scorpions is my mind,

dear wife.

Thou knowst that Banquo

and his Fleance live.

But in them nature's copy

is not eterne.

There's comfort yet.

They are assailable.

Then be thou jocund.

Ere the bat hath flown

his cloistered flight...

...ere to black Hecate's summons...

...the shard-borne beetle

with his drowsy hums...

...hath rung night's yawning peal...

...there shall be done a deed

of dreadful note.

What's to be done?

Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest

chuck, till thou applaud the deed.

Come, seeling night...

...scarf up the tender eye

of pitiful day.

And with thy bloody and invisible hand

cancel and tear to pieces...

...that great bond

which keeps me pale.

Light thickens, and the crow

makes wing to the rooky wood.

Good things of day begin

to droop and drowse...

...while night's black agents

to their prey do rouse.

- Who did bid thee join with us?

- Macbeth.

He needs not our mistrust

since he delivers our offices...

...and what we have to do

to the direction just.

Well, stand with us. The west yet

glimmers with some streaks of day.

And near approaches

the subject of our watch.

By the clock 'tis day...

...and yet dark night strangles

the travelling lamp.

Is it night's predominance

or the day's shame...

...that darkness does

the face of earth entomb...

...when living light should kiss it?

It will be rain tonight.

Let it come down!

Treachery!

Fly, good Fleance, fly!

Fly!

Fly!

There's blood upon thy face.

- 'Tis Banquo's then.

- Is he despatched?

His throat is cut.

That I did for him.

Thou art the best of the cutthroats.

Yet he's good that did

the like for Fleance.

If thou didst that,

thou art the nonpareil.

Most royal sir, Fleance is escaped.

Then comes my fit again.

I had else been perfect, whole as

the marble, founded as the rock.

But now I am cabined, confined,

bound in to saucy doubts and fears.

- But Banquo's safe?

- Ay, my good lord.

Safe in a ditch he bides,

with 20 trenched gashes on his head.

There the grown serpent lies.

The worm that's fled hath nature

that in time will venom breed.

No teeth for the present.

Get thee gone.

Tomorrow we'll hear ourselves again.

You know your own degrees. Sit down.

At first and last, a hearty welcome.

Thanks to Your Majesty.

Our hostess keeps her state.

Ourself will mingle with society

and play the humble host.

- My lord, you do not give the cheer.

- Sweet remembrancer.

I drink to the general joy

of the whole table...

...and to our dear friend Banquo,

whom we miss. Would he were here.

Banquo!

Now good digestion wait on

appetite, and health on both!

May it please Your Highness, sit.

Please it Your Highness to grace us

with your royal company?

- The table's full.

- Here is a place reserved, sir.

- Where?

- Here, my good lord.

- Which of you have done this?

- What, my lord?

Thou canst not say I did it.

- Never shake thy gory locks at me.

- His Highness is not well.

Sit, friends. My lord is often thus

and hath been from his youth.

Keep seat. The fit is momentary.

Upon a thought he will again be well.

Are you a man?

Ay, a bold one that dare look

on that which might appal the devil.

O, proper stuff!

This is the very painting

of your fear.

This is the air-drawn dagger you said

led you to Duncan. Shame itself!

Why do you make such faces? When

all's done, you look but on a stool.

Prithee, see there!

Behold! Look! How say you?

Avaunt, and quit my sight! Thy bones

are marrowless, thy blood is cold.

Thou hast no speculation in those

eyes which thou dost glare with.

What man dare, I dare.

Take any shape but that,

and my nerves shall never tremble.

Hence, horrible shadow!

Unreal mockery, hence!

What?

Quite unmanned in folly.

- Lf I stand here, I saw him.

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