The Tragedy Of Macbeth

1 Enter Lady Macduff her Son and Ross.
2 LADY MACDUFF.
3 What had he done, to make him fly the land?
4 ROSS.
5 You must have patience, madam.
6 LADY MACDUFF.
7 He had none:
8 His flight was madness: when our actions do not,
9 Our fears do make us traitors.
10 ROSS.
11 You know not
12 Whether it was his wisdom or his fear.
13 LADY MACDUFF.
14 Wisdom! to leave his wife, to leave his babes,
15 His mansion, and his titles, in a place
16 From whence himself does fly? He loves us not:
17 He wants the natural touch; for the poor wren,
18 The most diminutive of birds, will fight,
19 Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.
20 All is the fear, and nothing is the love;
21 As little is the wisdom, where the flight
22 So runs against all reason.
23 ROSS.
24 My dearest coz,
25 I pray you, school yourself: but, for your husband,
26 He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows
27 The fits o’ th’ season. I dare not speak much further:
28 But cruel are the times, when we are traitors,
29 And do not know ourselves; when we hold rumour
30 From what we fear, yet know not what we fear,
31 But float upon a wild and violent sea
32 Each way and move—I take my leave of you:
33 Shall not be long but I’ll be here again.
34 Things at the worst will cease, or else climb upward
35 To what they were before.—My pretty cousin,
36 Blessing upon you!
37 LADY MACDUFF.
38 Father’d he is, and yet he’s fatherless.
39 ROSS.
40 I am so much a fool, should I stay longer,
41 It would be my disgrace and your discomfort:
42 I take my leave at once.
43 [_Exit._]
44 LADY MACDUFF.
45 Sirrah, your father’s dead.
46 And what will you do now? How will you live?
47 SON.
48 As birds do, mother.
49 LADY MACDUFF.
50 What, with worms and flies?
51 SON.
52 With what I get, I mean; and so do they.
53 LADY MACDUFF.
54 Poor bird! thou’dst never fear the net nor lime,
55 The pit-fall nor the gin.
56 SON.
57 Why should I, mother? Poor birds they are not set for.
58 My father is not dead, for all your saying.
59 LADY MACDUFF.
60 Yes, he is dead: how wilt thou do for a father?
61 SON.
62 Nay, how will you do for a husband?
63 LADY MACDUFF.
64 Why, I can buy me twenty at any market.
65 SON.
66 Then you’ll buy ’em to sell again.
67 LADY MACDUFF.
68 Thou speak’st with all thy wit;
69 And yet, i’ faith, with wit enough for thee.
70 SON.
71 Was my father a traitor, mother?
72 LADY MACDUFF.
73 Ay, that he was.
74 SON.
75 What is a traitor?
76 LADY MACDUFF.
77 Why, one that swears and lies.
78 SON.
79 And be all traitors that do so?
80 LADY MACDUFF.
81 Every one that does so is a traitor, and must be hanged.
82 SON.
83 And must they all be hanged that swear and lie?
84 LADY MACDUFF.
85 Every one.
86 SON.
87 Who must hang them?
88 LADY MACDUFF.
89 Why, the honest men.
90 SON.
91 Then the liars and swearers are fools: for there are liars and swearers
92 enow to beat the honest men and hang up them.
93 LADY MACDUFF.
94 Now, God help thee, poor monkey! But how wilt thou do for a father?
95 SON.
96 If he were dead, you’ld weep for him: if you would not, it were a good
97 sign that I should quickly have a new father.
98 LADY MACDUFF.
99 Poor prattler, how thou talk’st!
100 Enter a Messenger.
101 MESSENGER.
102 Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you known,
103 Though in your state of honour I am perfect.
104 I doubt some danger does approach you nearly:
105 If you will take a homely man’s advice,
106 Be not found here; hence, with your little ones.
107 To fright you thus, methinks, I am too savage;
108 To do worse to you were fell cruelty,
109 Which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve you!
110 I dare abide no longer.
111 [_Exit._]
112 LADY MACDUFF.
113 Whither should I fly?
114 I have done no harm. But I remember now
115 I am in this earthly world, where to do harm
116 Is often laudable; to do good sometime
117 Accounted dangerous folly: why then, alas,
118 Do I put up that womanly defence,
119 To say I have done no harm? What are these faces?
120 Enter Murderers.
121 FIRST MURDERER.
122 Where is your husband?
123 LADY MACDUFF.
124 I hope, in no place so unsanctified
125 Where such as thou mayst find him.
126 FIRST MURDERER.
127 He’s a traitor.
128 SON.
129 Thou liest, thou shag-ear’d villain!
130 FIRST MURDERER.
131 What, you egg!
132 [_Stabbing him._]
133 Young fry of treachery!
134 SON.
135 He has kill’d me, mother:
136 Run away, I pray you!
137 [_Dies. Exit Lady Macduff, crying “Murder!” and pursued by the
138 Murderers._]