1. Witch. Ay, Sir, all this is so. But why Stands Macbeth thus amazedly? Come, sisters, chear we up his sprights 247), And show the best of our delights; I'll charm the air to give a sound, Our duties did his welcome pay. [Musick. The Witches dance and vanish. ] Macb. Where are they? Gone? Let this, pernicious hour Stand aye accursed in the calendar 248)! Come in, without there! Enter Lenox. Len. What's your grace's will? Mach. Saw you the weird sisters? Len. Mach. Came they not by you? Len. No, my lord. No, indeed, my lord. Mach. Infected be the air whereon they ride; And damn'd all those that trust them! . I did hear The galloping of horse: who was't came by? Len. "Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word, Macduff is fled to England. Macb. Len. Ay, my good lord. Fled to England? Mach. Time, thou anticipat'st 249) my dread exploits: The flighty purpose never is o'ertook, Unless the deed go with it. From this moment, The very firstlings 250) of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand. And even now To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done: The castle of Macduff I will surprise; Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o' the sword said to be boltered. Such a term is therefore strictly applicable to Banquo, who had twenty trenched gashes on his head. Steevens. 247) sprights i, e. spirits. Steevens. 248) In the ancient almanacks the unlucky days were distinguished by a mark of reprobation. Steevens. 2) To anticipate is here to prevent, by taking away the opportunity. Johnson. 250) Firstling in its primitive sense is the first produce or offspring. Here it means the thing first thought or done. Steevens. 114 His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls But no more sights! Where are these gentlemen? SCENE II. Fife. A Room in Macduffs Castle. [Exeunt.] Enter Lady Macduff, her Son and Rosse. L. Macd. What had he done, to make him fly the land? He had none; Rosse. You know not, Whether it was his wisdom, or his fear. L. Macd. Wisdom! to leave his wife, to leave his babes, His mansion, and his titles, in a place From whence himself does fly? He loves us not, He wants the natural touch 253): for the poor wren, The most diminutive of birds, will fight, Her young ones in her nest, against the owl. All is the fear, and nothing is the love; As little is the wisdom, where the flight Rosse. My dearest coz', I pray you, school yourself. But, for your husband, He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows The fits o'the season 254). I dare not speak much further, And do not know ourselves 255); when we hold rumour vens. 251) That trace his line i. e. follow, succeed in it. Steean evidence of our 252) i. e. our flight is considered as guilt. Steevens. 253) Natural sensibility. He is not touched with natural affection. Johnson. 254) Perhaps the meaning is, what is most fitting to be done in every conjuncture. An255) i. e. when we are considered by the state as onymous. traitors, while at the same time we are unconscious of guilt: when we appear to others so different from what we really are, that we seem not to know ourselves. Malone. 256) to hold But float upon a wild and violent sea Each way, and move 257). I take my leave of you ; Things at the worst will cease, or else climb upward Blessing upon you! L. Macd. Father'd he is, and yet he's fatherless. Rosse. I am so much a fool, should I stay longer, It would be my disgrace, and your discomfort. I take my leave at once. L. Macd. [Exit Rosse.] Sirrah 258), your father's dead; And what will you do now? How will you live? L. Macd. What, with worms and flies! Son. With what I get, I mean; and so do they. L. Macd. Poor bird! thou 'dst never fear the net, nor lime, The pit-fall, nor the gin. Son. Why should I, mother? Poor birds they are not set for. My father is not dead, for all your saying. L. Macd. Yes, he is dead; how wilt thou do for a father? L. Macd. Why, I can buy me twenty at any market. L. Macd. Thou speak'st with all thy wit; and yet, i' faith, With wit enough for thee. Son. Was my father a traitor, mother? L. Macd. Ay, that he was. Son. What is a traitor? L. Macd. Why one that swears and lies.. Son. And be all traitors, that do so? The means, in this place, to believe, as we say, I hold such a thing to be true i. e. I take it, I believe it to be so. sense of the whole passage will then be: When we are led by our fears to believe every rumour of danger we hear, yet are not conscious to ourselves of any crime for which we should be disturbed with those fears. Steevens. 257) Perhaps the poet wrote: And each way move. If they floated each way, it was needless to inform us that they moved. The words may have been casually transposed, and erroneously pointed. Steevens. 258) Sirrah in our author's time was not a term of reproach, but generally used by masters to servants, parents to children etc. So before, in this play, Macbeth says to his servant: Sirrah, a word with you: attend those men our pleasure? Malone. L. Macd. Every one, that does so, is a traitor, and must be hang'd. Son. And must they all be hang'd, that swear and lie? Son. Who must hang them? L. Macd. Why, the honest men. Son. Then the liars and swearers are frols: for there are liars and swearers enough to beat the honest men, and hang up them. L. Macd. God help thee, poor monkey! But how wilt thou do for a father? would Son. If he were dead, you'd weep for him: if you not, it were a good sign that I should quickly have a new father. L. Macd. Poor prattler! how thou talk'st? Enter a Messenger. Mes. Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you known, Though in your state of honour I am perfect 259). 1 I doubt, some danger does approach you nearly. L. Macd. I have done no harm. But I remember now To say, I have done no harm? What are these faces?. Enter Murderers. Mur. Where is your husband? L. Macd. I hope, in no place so unsanctified, Where such as thou may'st find him. Mur. He's a traitor. " 259) i. e. I am perfectly acquainted with your rank of ho260) To do worse is, to let her and her nour. Steevens. children be destroyed without warning. Johnson. Son. Thou ly'st, thou shag-ear'd villain 261). Mur. What, you egg? Young fry of treachery? [stabbing him.] Son. He has kill'd me, mother: Run away, I pray you. [Dies. Exit L. Macduff, crying murder and pursued by the murderers.] SCENE III. England. A Room in the King's Palace. Enter Malcolm and Macduff. Mal. Let us seek out some desolate shade, and there Weep our sad bosoms empty. Macd. Let us rather Hold fast the mortal sword; and, like good men, Bestride our down-fall'n birthdom 262). Each new morn, Strike heaven on the face, that it resounds As if it felt with Scotland, and yell'd out Mal. What I believe, I'll wail; What know, believe; and, what I can redress, 261) Perhaps we should read shag-hair'd, for it is an abusive epithet very often used in our ancient plays etc. Steevens. 262) Down-fall'n birthdom. The allusion is to a man whom something valuable is about to be taken by violence, and who, that he may defend it without incumbrance, lays it on the ground and stands over it with his weapon in his hand. Our birthdom, or birthright, says he, lies on the ground; let us, like men who are to fight for what is dearest to them, not abandon it, but stand over it and defend it. Johnson. 263) and yell'd out like syllable of dolour. This presents a ridiculous image. But what is insinuated under it is noble; that the portents and prodigies, in the skies, of which mention is made before, showed that heaven sympathised with Scotland. Warburton. 264) to friend i. e. to befriend. Steevens., 265) and wisdom, that is, and 'tis wisdom. Heath. --- |
