Unsafe the while, that we+ Must lave our honours in these flattering streams; Disguising what they are. You must leave this. Macb. O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! Thou know'st, that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives. Lady M. But in them nature's copy's not eterne.* Macb. There's comfort yet; they are assailable; Then be thou jocund: Ere the bat hath flown His cloister'd flight; ere, to black Hecate's summons, The shard-borne beetles, with his drowsy hums, Hath rung night's yawning peal, there shall be done A deed of dreadful note. Lady M. What's to be done? 6 Macb. Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, Till thou applaud the deed. Come, seeling night, Skarf up the tender eye of pitiful day; And, with thy bloody and invisible hand, Cancel, and tear to pieces, that great bond Which keeps me pale! Light thickens; and the crow Good things of day begin to droop and drowse; + "unsafe the while, that we Must lave," &c. - MALONE. [Exeunt. 4 nature's copy's not eterne.] The copy, the lease by which they hold their lives from nature, has its time of termination limited. JOHNSON. 5 The shard-borne beetle,] The shard-borne beetle is the beetle borne along the air by its shards or scaly wings. 6, Come, seeling night,] Seeling, i. e. blinding. It is a term in falconry. "to their preys," &c.- MALONE. The same. SCENE III. A Park or Lawn, with a Gate leading to the Palace. Enter three Murderers. 1 Mur. But who did bid thee join with us? 3 Mur. Macbeth. 2 Mur. He needs not our mistrust; since he delivers Our offices, and what we have to do, To the direction just. 1 Mur. Then stand with us. The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day: Now spurs the lated' traveller apace, To gain the timely inn; and near approaches The subject of our watch. 3 Mur. Ban. [within.] Give us a light there, ho! 2 Mur. Hark! I hear horses. Then it is he; the rest His horses go about. That are within the note of expectation, 8 1 Mur. 3 Mur. Almost a mile; but he does usually, So all men do, from hence to the palace gate Make it their walk. Enter BANQUO and FLEANCE, a Servant with a torch preceding them. 2 Mur. 3 Mur. A light, a light! 'Tis he.. 7 8 1 Mur. Stand to't. lated] i. e. belated, benighted. the note of expectation,] i. e. they who are set down in the list of guests, and expected to supper. 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. 8 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. Thanks to your majesty. Macb. Ourself will mingle with society, And play the humble host. Our hostess keeps her state1; but, in best time, 8 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. 1 Our hostess keeps her state; &c.] i. e. continues in her chair of state at the head of the table. Lady M. Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends; For my heart speaks, they are welcome. Enter first Murderer, to the door. Macb. See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks: Both sides are even: Here I'll sit i'the midst : Macb. 'Tis better thee without, than he within. 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 Mur. Ay, my good lord; safe in a ditch he bides, Macb. Thanks for that: There the grown serpent lies; the worm, that's fled, Hath nature that in time will venom breed, No teeth for the present. Get thee gone; to-morrow We'll hear, ourselves again. [Exit Murderer. My royal lord, Lady M. 2 trenched gashes-] Trencher, to cut. Fr. 3 You do not give the cheer: the feast is sold, 'Tis given with welcome: To feed, were best at home; From thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony, Meeting were bare without it. Macb. Sweet remembrancer ! →→ Now, good digestion wait on appetite, Len. May it please your highness sit? [The Ghost of Banquo rises, and sits in MACBETH's place. Macb. Here had we now our country's honour roof'd, Were the grac'd person of our Banquo present; Who may I rather challenge for unkindness, Than pity for mischance! Rosse. His absence, sir, Lays blame upon his promise. Please it your highness To grace us with your royal company? Macb. The table's full. Len. Here's a place reserv'd, sir. Macb. Thou can'st not say, I did it: never shake Thy gory locks at me. Rosse. Gentlemen, rise; his highness is not well. Lady M. Sir, worthy friends: my lord is often thus, And hath been from his youth: 'pray you, keep seat; The fit is momentary; upon a thought* He will again be well; If much you note him, 3 the feast is sold, &c.] The meaning is, That which is not given cheerfully, cannot be called a gift, it is something that must be paid for. + Here, my good lord."-MALONE. 4 upon a thought] i. e. as speedily as thought can be exerted. |