Macbeth
Act III, Scene 6
Forres. The palace.
Lennox
Dorothy Carleton Smyth, circa 1900
- Enter Lennox and another Lord.
Lennox
1 - 24- 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.
- And the right valiant Banquo walk’d too late,
- Whom you may say (if’t please you) Fleance kill’d,
- For Fleance fled. Men must not walk too late.
- Who cannot want the thought, how monstrous
- It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain
- To kill their gracious father? Damned 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;
- For ’twould have anger’d 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, and’t please heaven, he shall not), they should find
- What ’twere to kill a father; so should Fleance.
- But peace! For from broad words, and ’cause he fail’d
- His presence at the tyrant’s feast, I hear
- Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell
- Where he bestows himself?
Lord
25 - 40- The son of Duncan
- (From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth)
- Lives in the English court, and is receiv’d
- Of the most pious Edward with such grace
- That the malevolence of fortune nothing
- Takes from his high respect. Thither Macduff
- 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;
- 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 exasperate the King that he
- Prepares for some attempt of war.
Lennox
41- Sent he to Macduff?
Lord
42 - 45- He did; and with an absolute “Sir, not I,”
- The cloudy messenger turns me his back,
- And hums, as who should say, “You’ll rue the time
- That clogs me with this answer.”
Lennox
46 - 52- And that well might
- Advise him to a caution, t’ hold what distance
- His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel
- Fly to the court of England, and unfold
- His message ere he come, that a swift blessing
- May soon return to this our suffering country
- Under a hand accurs’d!
Lord
53- I’ll send my prayers with him.
- Exeunt.