Table of Contents
ACT 2, SCENE 4
Setting: Outside Macbeth's castle.
[Enter ROSS and an old Man]
| Old Man | Threescore and ten I can remember well: | |
| Within the volume of which time I have seen | ||
| Hours dreadful and things strange; but this sore night | ||
| Hath trifled former knowings. | ||
| ROSS | Ah, good father, | 5 |
| Thou seest, the heavens, as troubled with man's act, | ||
| Threaten his bloody stage: by the clock, 'tis day, | ||
| And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp: | ||
| Is't night's predominance, or the day's shame, | ||
| That darkness does the face of earth entomb, | 10 | |
| When living light should kiss it? | ||
| Old Man | Tis unnatural, | |
| Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday last, | ||
| A falcon, towering in her pride of place, | ||
| Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd. | 15 | |
| ROSS | And Duncan's horses––a thing most strange and certain–– | |
| Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, | ||
| Turn'd wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, | ||
| Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would make | ||
| War with mankind. | 20 | |
| Old Man | Tis said they eat each other. | |
| ROSS | They did so, to the amazement of mine eyes | |
| That look'd upon't. Here comes the good Macduff. | ||
| [Enter MACDUFF] | ||
| How goes the world, sir, now? | ||
| MACDUFF | Why, see you not? | 25 |
| ROSS | Is't known who did this more than bloody deed? | |
| MACDUFF | Those that Macbeth hath slain. | |
| ROSS | Alas, the day! | |
| What good could they pretend? | ||
| MACDUFF | They were suborn'd: | 30 |
| Malcolm and Donalbain, the king's two sons, | ||
| Are stol'n away and fled; which puts upon them | ||
| Suspicion of the deed. | ||
| ROSS | Gainst nature still! | |
| Thriftless ambition, that wilt ravin up | 35 | |
| Thine own life's means! Then 'tis most like | ||
| The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth. | ||
| MACDUFF | He is already named, and gone to Scone | |
| To be invested. | ||
| ROSS | Where is Duncan's body? | 40 |
| MACDUFF | Carried to Colmekill, | |
| The sacred storehouse of his predecessors, | ||
| And guardian of their bones. | ||
| ROSS | Will you to Scone? | |
| MACDUFF | No, cousin, I'll to Fife. | 45 |
| ROSS | Well, I will thither. | |
| MACDUFF | Well, may you see things well done there: adieu! | |
| Lest our old robes sit easier than our new! | ||
| ROSS | Farewell, father. | |
| Old Man | God's benison go with you; and with those | 50 |
| That would make good of bad, and friends of foes! | ||
| [Exeunt] |