Macbeth and Banquo are discussing the witches’ prophecies once again. Banquo has been dreaming about them, but Macbeth lies and says they’ve slipped his mind. He then tells Banquo to stick with him, and he’ll be rewarded in the future. Banquo agrees, so long as he gets to keep his conscience clear. After he departs, Macbeth sees a vision of a dagger drawing him toward Duncan’s room. That’s when he hears a bell, which is his signal that the time for murder has arrived.
Banquo
How’s the night going, son?
Fleance
The moon’s gone down. I haven’t heard the clock.
Banquo
And the moon goes down about midnight.
Fleance
I think it’s later than that, father.
Banquo
Here, take my sword. I can’t see any stars. The heavens are being thrifty and not burning their candles. Here, hold this too. I’m completely exhausted, but I can't sleep. Oh merciful God, please relieve me of the nightmares that come to me in sleep.
Give me my sword. Who's there?
Macbeth
A friend.
Banquo
What, sir, you’ve not yet gone to bed? The king's asleep. He’s been in unusually good humor, and he has sent generous gifts to your castle officers. In greeting your wife as hostess, he began by giving her this diamond and finished by expressing his boundless satisfaction with her hospitality.
Macbeth
Being unprepared for his visit, our desires to provide a lavish welcome were defectively carried out, otherwise they would have been more generously given.
Banquo
It turned out fine. Last night, I dreamt of the three witches. Part of what they told you came true.
Macbeth
I haven’t been thinking about them. However, when you can spare an hour, we should talk about it, if you have time.
Banquo
At your convenience.
Macbeth
If you follow my lead, when the time comes, there will be opportunities for you.
Banquo
As long as I don’t lose my integrity, and keep a clear conscience, I’ll follow you.
Macbeth
In the meantime, sleep well.
Banquo
Thanks, sir, you too.
Macbeth
Tell my wife to ring the bell when my drink is ready. Then go to bed.
Macbeth
Is this a dagger which I see in front of me, with its handle turned towards my hand? Let me grab you! I can’t grab you, and yet I still see you. Is it possible to touch you, fateful vision, as well as I can see you? Or are you just a dagger in my mind, the creation of my feverish brain? I still see you, you look as real as this dagger I am pulling out now.
You point me the way I was going, and you’re the very tool I was going to use. Either my eyes are the least trustworthy of my senses, or else they are the only sense worth anything. I still see you, and there’s all this blood on your blade and handle which wasn’t there before. The dagger’s not there! It’s this bloody crime that makes it appear in front of my eyes. Now half of the world is in darkness, and nightmares are attacking the sleepers. Witches make offerings to their goddess, Hecate, and murder itself, alerted by the howl of the wolf, walks towards his victim as stealthy as a ghost, just like Tarquin.
And you, firm ground, don’t listen to my steps and where they go. I’m afraid the stones I step on will later call out that I was here, and recall this horrible moment. But while I stand here talking about murder, he still lives. My words are like cold breath, cooling off the heat of action.
Here I go, and it will be done; the bell invites me to do it. Don’t listen to it, Duncan. It’s calling you either to heaven or to hell.
