Act 3 Scene 4


FIRSTMURDERER My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him.


20


MACBETH Thou art the best o' the cut-throats: yet he's good That did the like for Fleance: If thou didst it, Thou art the nonpareil.7


FIRSTMURDERER Most royal sir, Fleance is 'scaped.


MACBETH Then comes my fit8


again: I had else been perfect,


Whole as the marble, founded as the rock,9 As broad and general as the casing air:10 But now I am cabined, cribbed,11


30


FIRSTMURDERER Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides, With twenty trenched13


The least a death to nature.14 MACBETH


Thanks for that:


There the grown serpent lies; the worm that's fled Hath nature that in time will venom breed, No teeth for the present.15


We'll hear, ourselves, again. [ExitMurderer]


LADYMACBETH My royal lord,


You do not give the cheer. The feast is sold That is not often vouched, while 'tis a-making, 'Tis given with welcome:16


From thence the sauce to meat is ceremony;18 Meeting were bare without it.


MACBETH Sweet remembrancer!19


Now, good digestion wait on appetite, And health on both!


LENNOX May't please your highness sit? 72 19 to feed were best at home;17 16


The feast is sold…welcome: Unless the host welcomes the guests continually, they will feel like they paid for their meal.


17 18


to feed were best at home: They may as well eat at home.


From thence…ceremony: When eating out, it is the host that makes the meal special.


Sweet remembrancer!: Thanks for the reminder!


15 Get thee gone: tomorrow


There the grown…for the present: The old snake (Banquo) lies dead. The worm (Fleance) has fled and will develop venom later. He has no teeth at the moment.


confined, bound in To saucy12 doubts and fears. But Banquo's safe? gashes on his head;


8 my fit:my attack of anxiety 9


10


Whole…the rock: solid as marble, unshakeable as rock


As broad …casing air: as free and unrestrained as the air around us 11 cribbed: trapped/shut in 12 saucy: nagging


13 trenched: as deep as a trench 14


Macbeth


7 nonpareil: unparalleled/unrivalled


The least…nature: the smallest being enough to kill him


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