‘Tis better thee without than he within.
Is he dispatch’d?
– William Shakespeare
Macbeth, Act 3, Scene 4. When the First Murderer reports that the blood on his face is Banquo’s, Macbeth responds that it is better for Banquo’s blood to be on the First Murderer than inside Banquo’s body. Using the euphemism “dispatch’d,” Macbeth asks if Banquo is dead.