MACBETH: Soliloquy Act 1, Scene 7 - pg. 69

If it were done, when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well

It were done quickly. If th’ assassination

Could trammel up the consequence, and catch

With his surcease, success; that but this blow

Might be the be-all and the end-all-here,

But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,

We’d jump the life to come. But in these cases

We still have judgement here, that we but teach

Bloody instructions, which being taught return

To plague th’ inventor. This even-handed justice

Commends th’ ingredience of our poisoned chalice

To our own lips. He’s here in double trust:

First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,

Stonr both against the deed; then, as his host,

Who should against his murderer shut the door,

Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan

Hath borne his favulties so meek, hath been so clear in his great office, that his virtues

Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against

The deep damnation of his taking-off.

And pity, like a naked new-born babe,

Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubin, horsed

Upon the sightless couriers of the air,

Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,

That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur

To prick the sides of my intent, but only

Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself,

And falls on th’ other-
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If this deed had to have been done, then it would be better

If it were done quickly. The murder of the King

Could be involved with my outcome, only then could I,

be King, because of his death. If only this could mean

I become King and the rest is all forgotten,

Only here in my thoughts,

We’d risk it for the future. Only here,

We are always punished just because we teach others

How to kill one another, and once they figure it out,

They turn on us. This arranged punishment

Becomes the steps of how to get the poison

To our own lips. Duncan is here with benefits.

First, he is here because I am his brother and his influence,

Both Strong reasons against the murder. Secondly,

I should punish the person who killed him,

But instead I killed him myself. Duncan as King

Was a good leader, and has been

So confident with all he has done, that the people who worshiped him

Will pray in his name, all together, against

The damage that his death has done.

The disappointment and sadness,

His people, and the natural order of things, listen

to all of the gossip,

So everyone knows about the horrid death,

Everyone will cry. I don’t have any

Good reasons for killing him,

I was just being selfish,

And now it has interrupted the natural orders of everything.