Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Act 3 - Scene 6
Forres. The palace.
Lennox : My former speeches have but hit your thoughts,
[p]Which can interpret
further: only, I say,
[p]Things have been strangely borne.
The
[p]gracious Duncan
[p]Was pitied of Macbeth: marry, he was
dead:
[p]And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late;
[p]Whom, you
may say, if't please you, Fleance kill'd,
[p]For Fleance fled: men
must not walk too late.
[p]Who cannot want the thought how
monstrous
[p]It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain
[p]To kill their
gracious father? damned fact!
[p]How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not
straight
[p]In pious rage the two delinquents tear,
[p]That were the
slaves of drink and thralls of sleep?
[p]Was not that nobly done? Ay,
and wisely too;
[p]For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive
[p]To hear
the men deny't. So that, I say,
[p]He has borne all things well: and I
do think
[p]That had he Duncan's sons under his key--
[p]As, an't
please heaven, he shall not--they
[p]should find
[p]What 'twere to
kill a father; so should Fleance.
[p]But, peace! for from broad words
and 'cause he fail'd
[p]His presence at the tyrant's feast, I
hear
[p]Macduff lives in disgrace: sir, can you tell
[p]Where he
bestows himself?
Lord : The son of Duncan,
[p]From whom this tyrant holds the due of
birth
[p]Lives in the English court, and is received
[p]Of the most
pious Edward with such grace
[p]That the malevolence of fortune
nothing
[p]Takes from his high respect: thither Macduff
[p]Is gone to
pray the holy king, upon his aid
[p]To wake Northumberland and warlike
Siward:
[p]That, by the help of these--with Him above
[p]To ratify the
work--we may again
[p]Give to our tables meat, sleep to our
nights,
[p]Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives,
[p]Do
faithful homage and receive free honours:
[p]All which we pine for
now: and this report
[p]Hath so exasperate the king that
he
[p]Prepares for some attempt of war.
Lennox : Sent he to Macduff?
Lord : He did: and with an absolute 'Sir, not I,'
[p]The cloudy messenger
turns me his back,
[p]And hums, as who should say 'You'll rue the
time
[p]That clogs me with this answer.'
Lennox : And that well might
[p]Advise him to a caution, to hold what
distance
[p]His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel
[p]Fly to the
court of England and unfold
[p]His message ere he come, that a swift
blessing
[p]May soon return to this our suffering country
[p]Under a
hand accursed!
Lord : I'll send my prayers with him.
Previous: Act 3 - Scene 5
Next: Act 4 - Scene 1
