|
 |
|
| Enter LENNOX and another
LORD
|
|
|
LENNOX and another LORD
enter. |
|
| | LENNOX |
| |
My former speeches have but hit your thoughts, |
| |
Which can interpret farther. Only I say |
| |
Things have been strangely borne. The gracious Duncan |
| |
Was pitied of Macbeth. Marry, he was dead. |
| 5 |
And the right-valiant Banquo walked too late, |
| |
Whom, you may say, if 't please you, Fleance killed, |
| |
For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late. |
| |
Who cannot want the thought how monstrous |
| |
It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain |
| 10 |
To kill their gracious father? Damnèd fact! |
| |
How it did grieve Macbeth! Did he not straight |
| |
In pious rage the two delinquents tear |
| |
That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep? |
| |
Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too, |
| 15 |
For 'twould have angered any heart alive |
| |
To hear the men deny 't. So that, I say, |
| |
He has borne all things well. And I do think |
| |
That had he Duncan's sons under his key— |
| |
As, an't please heaven, he shall not—they
should find |
| 20 |
What 'twere to kill a father. So should Fleance. |
| |
But, peace! For from broad words, and 'cause he failed |
| |
His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear |
| |
Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell |
| |
Where he bestows himself? |
|
| LENNOX |
|
What I've already said shows you we think alike, so you
can draw your own conclusions. All I'm saying is that
strange things have been going on. Macbeth pitied
Duncan—after Duncan was dead. And Banquo went out
walking too late at night. If you like, we can say that Fleance must
have killed him, because Fleance fled the scene of the crime.
Clearly, men should not go out walking too late! And who can help
thinking how monstrous it was for Malcolm and Donalbain to kill
their gracious father? Such a heinous crime—how it
saddened Macbeth
! Wasn't it loyal of him to kill those two
servants right away, while they were still drunk and asleep? That
was the right thing to do, wasn't it? Yes, and it was the
wise thing, too, because we all would have been outraged to hear
those two deny their crime. Considering all this, I think Macbeth
has handled things well. If he had Duncan's sons in
prison—which I hope won't
happen—they would find out how awful the punishment is
for those who kill their fathers, and so would Fleance. But enough
of that. I hear that Macduff is out of favor with the king because
he speaks his mind too plainly, and because he failed to show up at
Macbeth's feast. Can you tell me where he's hiding
himself? |
|
| | LORD |
| |
The
son of Duncan— |
| 25 |
From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth— |
| |
Lives in the English court and is received |
| |
Of the most pious Edward with such grace |
| |
That the malevolence of fortune nothing |
| |
Takes from his high respect. Thither Macduff |
| 30 |
Is gone to pray the holy king upon his aid |
| |
To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward, |
| |
That by the help of these—with Him above |
| |
To ratify the work—we may again |
| |
Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights, |
| 35 |
Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives, |
| |
Do faithful homage and receive free honors. |
| |
All which we pine for now. And this report |
| |
Hath so exasperated the king that he |
| |
Prepares for some attempt of war. |
|
| LORD |
|
Duncan's son Malcolm, whose birthright and throne Macbeth
has stolen, lives in the English court. There, the saintly King
Edward treats Malcolm so well that despite Malcolm's
misfortunes, he's not deprived of respect. Macduff went
there to ask King Edward for help. He wants Edward to help him form
an alliance with the people of Northumberland and their lord,
Siward. Macduff hopes that with their help—and with the
help of God above—he may once again put food on our
tables, bring peace back to our nights, free our feasts and banquets
from violent murders, allow us to pay proper homage to our king, and
receive honors freely. Those are the things we pine for now. Macbeth
has heard this news and he is so angry that he's preparing
for war. |
|
|
|
| |
 |
No Fear Vocabulary is a fun, easy guide to building a strong vocabulary quickly and using words effectively.
More...
|
|
|
 |
Beat the ACT with the latest book from the experts at SparkNotes.
More...
|
|
| |
| |
|
Shopping Cart 
More...
