Mal. This murderous shaft that's shot SCENE II.. The Same. [Exeunt. Without the Castle. Enter Ross and an old Man. Old M. Threescore-and-ten I can remember well: Hours dreadful and things strange; but this sore night Ross. Ah, good father, Thou seest, the Heavens, as troubled with man's act, Old M. 'Tis unnatural, Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday last, A falcon, towering in her pride of place,1 Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd. comparative; which is indicated here by the printing, near', for nearer. See King Richard the Second, page 102, note 8. 55 Suspecting this murder to be the work of Macbeth, Malcolm thinks it could have no purpose but what himself and his brother equally stand in the way of; that the "murderous shaft" must pass through them to reach its mark. 56 That is, punctilious or particular about leave-taking. 1 A phrase in falconry for soaring to the highest pitch. Ross. And Duncan's horse',2. certain, a thing most strange and Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, Old M. 'Tis said they eat each other.3 Ross. They did so, to th' amazement of mine eyes That look'd upon't. Here comes the good Macduff. Enter MACDUFF. How goes the world, sir, now? Macd. Why, see you not? Ross. Is't known who did this more than bloody deed? Macd. Those that Macbeth hath slain. Malcolm and Donalbain, the King's two sons, Ross. 'Gainst nature still : Thriftless ambition, that wilt ravin up 5 Thine own life's means! Then 'tis most like The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth. 2 In divers cases, the Poet uses the form of the singular with a plural sense; as horse' for horses, house' for houses, corpse for corpses, &c. 3 Holinshed relates that, after King Duff's murder," there was a sparhawk strangled by an owl," and that “horses of singular beauty and swiftness did eat their own flesh." 4 Suborned is a technical term in law for bribed or hired. So we have the phrases "suborn false witnesses," and "subornation of perjury." 5 To ravin up is to consume or devour ravenously. The Poet elsewhere has ravin down in exactly the same sense. Macd. He is already named, and gone to Scone To be invested. Ross. Where is Duncan's body? Macd. Carried to Colme-kill," The sacred storehouse of his predecessors, And guardian of their bones. Ross. Will you to Scone? Well, I will thither." Macd. No, cousin, I'll to Fife. Ross. Macd. Well, may you see things well done there; adieu! Lest our old robes sit easier than our new ! 8 Ross. Farewell, father. Old M. God's benison go with you, and with those That would make good of bad, and friends of foes! [Exeunt. 6 Colme-kill is the famous Iona, one of the Western Isles mentioned by Holinshed as the burial-place of many ancient kings of Scotland. Coimekill means the cell or chapel of St. Columba. The place was visited by Dr. Johnson during his tour in Scotland, and drew from him the following memorable passage: "We were now treading that illustrious island which was once the luminary of the Caledonian regions, whence savage clans and roving barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge and the blessings of religion. Far from me and from my friends be such frigid philosophy as may conduct us indifferent and unmoved over any ground which has been dignified by wisdom, bravery, or virtue. That man is little to be envied whose patriotism would not gain force upon the plain of Marathon, or whose piety would not grow warmer among the ruins of Iona." 7 That is, "I will go to Scone." 8 This latter clause logically connects with "see things well done there"; adieu! being awkwardly thrust in for a rhyming couplet. 9 Benison is blessing, and is used whenever the verse requires a trisyllable. The opposite sense was expressed by malison. ACT III. SCENE I. - Forres. A Room in the Palace. Enter BANQUO. Ban. Thou hast it now,—king, Cawdor, Glamis, all It should not stand in thy posterity; But that myself should be the root and father May they not be my oracles as well, And set me up in hope? But, hush! no more. Sennet sounded. Enter MACBETH, as King; Lady MACBETH, as Queen; LENNOX, Ross, Lords, Ladies, and Attendants. Macb. Here's our chief guest. Lady M. If he had been forgotten, It had been as a gap in our great feast, And all things unbecoming.2 Macb. To-night we hold a solemn supper,3 sir, And I'll request your presence. 1 Their speeches prosper, or appear in the lustre of manifest truth; a conspicuous instance, to warrant belief in their predictions. 2 That is, such an oversight would have disordered the whole feast, and rendered all things unfitting and discordant. 3 This was the phrase of Shakespeare's time for a feast or banquet given on a particular occasion, to solemnize any event, as a birth, marriage, coronation. Ban. Lay your Highness' Command upon me; to the which my duties Are with a most indissoluble tie For ever knit. Macb. Ride you this afternoon? Ban. Ay, my good lord. Mach. We should have else desired your good advice — Which still hath been both grave and prosperous In this day's Council; but we'll take to-morrow. Ban. As far, my lord, as will fill up the time 'Twixt this and supper: go not my horse the better,4 I must become a borrower of the night For a dark hour or twain. Macb. Ban. My lord, I will not. Fail not our feast. Macb. We hear our bloody cousins are bestow'd Farewell. Let every man be master of his time [Exit BANQUO. Till seven at night: to make society The sweeter welcome, we will keep ourself 4 Probably meaning, “If my horse go not better than usual. |