1 Mur. Stand to't. Ban. It will be rain to-night. 1 Mur. Let it come down. Assaults BANQUO. Ban. O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly; Thou may'st revenge.-O slave! [Dies. FLEANCE and Servant escape. 3 Mur. Who did strike out the light? 1 Mur. Was't not the way?" 3 Mur. There's but one down; the son is fled. 2 Mur. We have lost best half of our affair. 1 Mur. Well, let's away, and say how much is done. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. A Room of State in the Palace. A Banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH, Lady MACBETH, ROSSE, LENOX, Lords, and Attendants. Macb. You know your own degrees, sit down: at first And last, the hearty welcome. Lords. Fleance, &c. escape.] Fleance, after the assassination of his father, fled into Wales, where, by the daughter of the prince of that country, he had a son named Walter, who afterwards became Lord High Steward of Scotland, and from thence assumed the name of Walter Steward. From him, in a direct line, King James I. was descended; in compliment to whom our author has chosen to describe Banquo, who was equally concerned with Macbeth in the murder of Duncan, as innocent of that crime. 9 Was't not the way?] i. e. the best means we could take to evade discovery; or, perhaps, to effect our purpose. And play the humble host. 1 Our hostess keeps her state; but, in best time, Lady M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our For my heart speaks, they are welcome. Enter first Murderer, to the door. Macb. See, they encounter thee with their hearts' Both sides are even: Here I'll sit i'the midst: Macb. 'Tis better thee without, than he within. Is he despatch'd? Mur. My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him. Macb. Thou art the best o'the cut-throats: Yet he's good, That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, Thou art the nonpareil. Mur. Fleance is 'scap'd. Most royal sir, Macb. Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect; Whole as the marble, founded as the rock; As broad, and general, as the casing air: But now, I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confin'd, bound in To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo's safe? Mur. Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides, 1 Our hostess keeps her state; &c.] i. e. continues in her chair of state at the head of the table. When now I think you can behold such sights, Rosse. What sights, my lord? Lady M. I pray you, speak not; he grows worse and worse; Question enrages him: at once, good night:- But go at once. Len. Good night, and better health A kind good night to all! Macb. It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood: Stones have been known to move, and trees to speak; Augurs, and understood relations, have By magot-pies, and choughs, and rooks, brought forth The secret'st man of blood.-What is the night? Lady M. Almost at odds with morning, which is which. Macb. How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his person, At our great bidding?* these words thus:-You prove to me that I am a stranger even to my own disposition, when I perceive that the very object which steals the colour from my cheek, permits it to remain in yours. In other words, -You prove to me how false an opinion I have hitherto maintained of my own courage, when yours, on the trial, is found to exceed it. 3 Augurs, and understood relations, &c.] Perhaps we should read, auguries, i. e. prognostications by means of omens and prodigies. These, together with the connection of effects with causes, being understood, (says he,) have been instrumental in divulging the most secret murders. Magot-pie is the original name of the bird; Magot being the familiar appellation given to pies, of which the modern mag is the abbreviation. * How say'st thou, &c.] i. e. What do you think of this circum Lady M. Did you send to him, sir? Macb. I hear it by the way; but I will send: There's not a one of them, but in his house I keep a servant fee'd. I will to-morrow, (Betimes I will,) unto the weird sisters: More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know, Stept in so far, that, should I wade no more, Strange things I have in head, that will to hand; Macb. Come, we'll to sleep: My strange and self-abuse Is the initiate fear, that wants hard use:- [Exeunt. stance, that Macduff denies to come at our great bidding? What do you infer from thence? What is your opinion of the matter? The circumstance on which this question is founded, took its rise from the old history. Macbeth sent to Macduff to assist in building the castle of Dunsinane. Macduff sent workmen, &c. but did not choose to trust his person in the tyrant's power. From that time he resolved on his death. STEEVENS. be scann'd.] To scan is to examine nicely. 6 You lack the season of all natures, sleep.] i. e. you stand in need of the time or season of sleep, which all natures require. SCENE V. The Heath. Thunder. Enter HECATE, meeting the three Witches. 1 Witch. Why, how now, Hecate? you look Hec. Have I not reason, beldams, as you are, In riddles, and affairs of death; Spiteful, and wrathful; who, as others do, Loves for his own ends, not for you. But make amends now: Get you gone, Meet me i'the morning; thither he Great business must be wrought ere noon: There hangs a vaporous drop profound;" 7 vaporous drop profound;] This vaporous drop seems to have been meant for the same as the virus lunare of the ancients, being a foam which the moon was supposed to have shed on particular herbs, or other objects, when strongly solicited by enchant ment. |