Act 3 Scene 1

To be thus is nothing; 
But to be safely thus.—Our fears in Banquo 
Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature 
Reigns that which would be fear’d: ’tis much he dares; 
And, to that dauntless temper of his mind, 
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour 
To act in safety. There is none but he 
Whose being I do fear: and, under him, 
My Genius is rebuked; as, it is said,
Mark Antony’s was by Caesar. He chid the sisters 
When first they put the name of king upon me, 
And bade them speak to him: then prophet-like 
They hail’d him father to a line of kings: 
Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, 
And put a barren sceptre in my gripe, 
Thence to be wrench’d with an unlineal hand, 
No son of mine succeeding. If ‘t be so, 
For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind; 
For them the gracious Duncan have I murder’d; 
Put rancours in the vessel of my peace 
Only for them; and mine eternal jewel 
Given to the common enemy of man, 
To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings! 
Rather than so, come fate into the list. 
And champion me to the utterance! 

Macbeth is now king, he has achieved what he wanted, yet his mental state is not satisfied. He doesn’t feel comfortable, his mind is unsettled. Macbeth states that although he is king, it means nothing unless he is safely king “To be thus is nothing; But to be safely thus.” Although Macbeth is king he is scared of Banquo, Banquo is the only other one who knows about the witches prophecy and Macbeth suspects that Banquo knows he killed Duncan. In Macbeth’s mind this makes duncan a threat, anyone who threatens his king position must be killed. This shows that in Macbeth’s mind, although he is king, is insecure and