Identify the soliloquy in Act 3, in Shakespeare's Macbeth, and analyze it.

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, Act Three,
scene one, Macbeth delivers a soliloquy with regard to being King and the dangers that
threaten his position, namely his close friend
Banquo.

Macbeth states that to be King is nothing if he
cannot safely be so. His biggest worry at this point is Banquo, who was present when the
witches made their predictions. This incident would naturally raise questions in
Banquo's mind about what Macbeth did to make the predictions come true. Macbeth fears
Banquo's "royal nature," in essence, his integrity. Banquo has the courage to take a
stand and is smart enough to do so in safety. Banquo, Macbeth admits, is the only person
he fears, and Macbeth's actions would be "despised" in Banquo's sight—the same way
Caesar felt about Mark Antony (or so they say).

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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, (55)

And, to that dauntless temper of his
mind,

He hath a wisdom that doth guide his
valor

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
(60)

Mark Antony's was by
Caesar.

Macbeth recalls that
Banquo scolded the three witches ("sisters") when the first "predicted" that Macbeth
would be king, that they should speak to him also. Like prophets,
the witches declared that while Banquo would not be king, he would father a line of
kings. Macbeth understands now that he will never have children to
pass his crown to ("fruitless crown") and his power will be taken
from him ("barren scepter"), never to be given to his son: he has
no children.

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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(65)

And put a barren sceptre in my
gripe,

Thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal
hand,

No son of mine
succeeding.

If this is the
case, Macbeth reasons, he has sold his soul to the powers of darkness—in killing Duncan,
a king—so he could be King, but more so, that Banquo's descendants
will come to the throne. Seemingly for nothing, Macbeth has lost his peace of mind, has
lost his soul ("his eternal jewel") to "man's common enemy" (the Devil), just to make
Banquo's "issue" (descendants) kings. Rather than see this happen,
Macbeth is prepared to fight Fate to the death if necessary, to keep the witches'
prediction for Banquo from coming true.

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If't be so,

For
Banquo's issue have I filed my mind,

For them the gracious
Duncan have I murdered, (70)

Put rancors 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,
(75)

And champion me to the
utterance!