Macbeth: Act 4, Scene 3Enter MALCOLM and MACDUFF. MALCOLM 1Let us seek out some desoate shade, and there !"ee# our sad bosoms em#t$. MACDUFF Let us rather 3%od &ast the morta s'ord, and (ke )ood men 4*estr(de our do'n+&a,n b(rthdom. Each ne' morn -.e' '(do's ho', ne' or#hans cr$, ne' sorro's /Str(ke hea0en on the &ace, that (t resounds 1As (& (t &et '(th Scotand and $e,d out 2L(ke s$abe o& doour. MALCOLM "hat 3 be(e0e 3, 'a(, 4"hat kno' be(e0e, and 'hat 3 can redress, 15As 3 sha 6nd the t(me to &r(end, 3 '(. 11"hat $ou ha0e s#oke, (t ma$ be so #erchance. 1!7h(s t$rant, 'hose soe name b(sters our ton)ues, 13"as once thou)ht honest8 $ou ha0e o0ed h(m 'e8 14%e hath not touch,d $ou $et. 3 am $oun), but someth(n) 1-9ou ma$ deser0e o& h(m throu)h me, and '(sdom 1/7o o:er u# a 'eak #oor (nnocent amb 117o a##ease an an)r$ )od. MACDUFF 123 am not treacherous. MALCOLM *ut Macbeth (s. 14A )ood and 0(rtuous nature ma$ reco( !53n an (m#er(a char)e. *ut 3 sha cra0e $our #ardon8 !17hat 'h(ch $ou are m$ thou)hts cannot trans#ose: !!An)es are br()ht st(, thou)h the br()htest &e8 !37hou)h a th(n)s &ou 'oud 'ear the bro's o& )race, !49et )race must st( ook so. MACDUFF 3 ha0e ost m$ ho#es. MALCOLM !-;erchance e0en there 'here 3 d(d 6nd m$ doubts. !/"h$ (n that ra'ness e&t $ou '(&e and ch(d, !17hose #rec(ous mot(0es, those stron) knots o& o0e, !2"(thout ea0e+tak(n)< 3 #ra$ $ou, !4Let not m$ =eaous(es be $our d(shonours, 35*ut m(ne o'n sa&et(es. 9ou ma$ be r()ht$ =ust, 31"hate0er 3 sha th(nk. MACDUFF *eed, beed, #oor countr$> 3!?reat t$rann$, a$ thou th$ bas(s sure, 33For )oodness dare not check thee8 'ear thou th$ 'ron)s, 347he t(te (s a:eer,d> Fare thee 'e, ord: 3-3 'oud not be the 0(a(n that thou th(nk,st 3/For the 'hoe s#ace that,s (n the t$rant,s )ras#, 31And the r(ch East to boot. MALCOLM *e not o:ended: 323 s#eak not as (n absoute &ear o& $ou. 343 th(nk our countr$ s(nks beneath the $oke8 453t 'ee#s, (t beeds8 and each ne' da$ a )ash 413s added to her 'ounds. 3 th(nk '(tha 4!7here 'oud be hands u#(&ted (n m$ r()ht8 43And here &rom )rac(ous En)and ha0e 3 o:er 44O& )ood$ thousands. *ut, &or a th(s, 4-"hen 3 sha tread u#on the t$rant,s head, 4/Or 'ear (t on m$ s'ord, $et m$ #oor countr$ 41Sha ha0e more 0(ces than (t had be&ore, 42More su:er and more sundr$ 'a$s than e0er, 44*$ h(m that sha succeed. MACDUFF "hat shoud he be< MALCOLM -53t (s m$se& 3 mean8 (n 'hom 3 kno' -1A the #art(cuars o& 0(ce so )ra&ted -!7hat, 'hen the$ sha be o#en,d, back Macbeth -3"( seem as #ure as sno', and the #oor state -4Esteem h(m as a amb, be(n) com#ared --"(th m$ con6neess harms. MACDUFF .ot (n the e)(ons -/O& horr(d he can come a de0( more damn,d -13n e0(s to to# Macbeth. MALCOLM 3 )rant h(m bood$, -2Lu@ur(ous, a0ar(c(ous, &ase, dece(t&u, -4Sudden, ma(c(ous, smack(n) o& e0er$ s(n /57hat has a name8 but there,s no bottom, none, /13n m$ 0ou#tuousness. 9our '(0es, $our dau)hters, /!9our matrons and $our ma(ds, coud not 6 u# /37he c(stern o& m$ ust, and m$ des(re /4A cont(nent (m#ed(ments 'oud o,erbear /-7hat d(d o##ose m$ '(. *etter Macbeth //7han such an one to re()n. MACDUFF *oundess (ntem#erance /13n nature (s a t$rann$8 (t hath been /27he unt(me$ em#t$(n) o& the ha##$ throne /4And &a o& man$ k(n)s. *ut &ear not $et 157o take u#on $ou 'hat (s $ours. 9ou ma$ 11Con0e$ $our #easures (n a s#ac(ous #ent$, 1!And $et seem cod, the t(me $ou ma$ so hood'(nk. 13"e ha0e '((n) dames enou)h8 there cannot be 147hat 0uture (n $ou, to de0our so man$ 1-As '( to )reatness ded(cate themse0es, 1/F(nd(n) (t so (nc(ned. MALCOLM "(th th(s, there )ro's 113n m$ most (+com#osed a:ect(on such 12A stanchess a0ar(ce that, 'ere 3 k(n), 143 shoud cut o: the nobes &or the(r ands, 25Des(re h(s =e'es and th(s other,s house: 21And m$ more+ha0(n) 'oud be as a sauce 2!7o make me hun)er more8 that 3 shoud &or)e 23Auarres un=ust a)a(nst the )ood and o$a, 24Destro$(n) them &or 'eath. MACDUFF 7h(s a0ar(ce 2-St(cks dee#er, )ro's '(th more #ern(c(ous root 2/7han summer+seem(n) ust, and (t hath been 217he s'ord o& our sa(n k(n)s. 9et do not &ear8 22Scotand hath &o(sons to 6 u# $our '( 24O& $our mere o'n. A these are #ortabe, 45"(th other )races 'e()h,d. MALCOLM 41*ut 3 ha0e none. 7he k(n)+becom(n) )races, 4!As =ust(ce, 0er(t$, tem#erance, stabeness, 43*ount$, #erse0erance, merc$, o'(ness, 44De0ot(on, #at(ence, coura)e, &ort(tude, 4-3 ha0e no re(sh o& them, but abound 4/3n the d(0(s(on o& each se0era cr(me, 41Act(n) (t man$ 'a$s. .a$, had 3 #o'er, 3 shoud 42;our the s'eet m(k o& concord (nto he, 44U#roar the un(0ersa #eace, con&ound 155A un(t$ on earth. MACDUFF O Scotand, Scotand> MALCOLM 1513& such a one be 6t to )o0ern, s#eak. 15!3 am as 3 ha0e s#oken. MACDUFF F(t to )o0ern> 153.o, not to (0e. O nat(on m(serabe, 154"(th an unt(ted t$rant bood$+sce#ter,d, 15-"hen shat thou see th$ 'hoesome da$s a)a(n, 15/S(nce that the truest (ssue o& th$ throne 151*$ h(s o'n (nterd(ct(on stands accursed, 152And does bas#heme h(s breed< 7h$ ro$a &ather 154"as a most sa(nted k(n)8 the Bueen that bore thee, 115O&tener u#on her knees than on her &eet, 111D(ed e0er$ da$ she (0ed. Fare thee 'e> 11!7hese e0(s thou re#eat,st u#on th$se& 113%a0e ban(sh,d me &rom Scotand. O m$ breast, 1147h$ ho#e ends here> MALCOLM Macdu:, th(s nobe #ass(on, 11-Ch(d o& (nte)r(t$, hath &rom m$ sou 11/"(#ed the back scru#es, reconc(ed m$ thou)hts 1117o th$ )ood truth and honour. De0((sh Macbeth 112*$ man$ o& these tra(ns hath sou)ht to '(n me 1143nto h(s #o'er, and modest '(sdom #ucks me 1!5From o0er+creduous haste. *ut ?od abo0e 1!1Dea bet'een thee and me> &or e0en no' 1!!3 #ut m$se& to th$ d(rect(on, and 1!3Uns#eak m(ne o'n detract(on, here ab=ure 1!47he ta(nts and bames 3 a(d u#on m$se&, 1!-For stran)ers to m$ nature. 3 am $et 1!/Unkno'n to 'oman, ne0er 'as &ors'orn, 1!1Scarce$ ha0e co0eted 'hat 'as m(ne o'n, 1!2At no t(me broke m$ &a(th, 'oud not betra$ 1!47he de0( to h(s &eo' and de()ht 135.o ess (n truth than (&e. M$ 6rst &ase s#eak(n) 131"as th(s u#on m$se&. "hat 3 am tru$, 13!3s th(ne and m$ #oor countr$,s to command: 133"h(ther (ndeed, be&ore th$ here+a##roach, 134Od S('ard, '(th ten thousand 'ar(ke men, 13-Aread$ at a #o(nt, 'as sett(n) &orth. 13/.o' 'e, to)ether8 and the chance o& )oodness 131*e (ke our 'arranted Buarre> "h$ are $ou s(ent< MACDUFF 132Such 'ecome and un'ecome th(n)s at once 134,7(s hard to reconc(e.Enter a DOC7OC. MALCOLM 145"e, more anon.DComes the E(n) &orth, 3 #ra$ $ou< Doctor 141A$, s(r8 there are a cre' o& 'retched sous 14!7hat sta$ h(s cure. 7he(r maad$ con0(nces 1437he )reat assa$ o& art8 but at h(s touchD 144Such sanct(t$ hath hea0en )(0en h(s handD 14-7he$ #resent$ amend. MALCOLM 3 thank $ou, doctor.E@(t FDoctorG. MACDUFF 14/"hat,s the d(sease he means< MALCOLM ,7(s ca,d the e0(: 141A most m(racuous 'ork (n th(s )ood k(n)8 142"h(ch o&ten, s(nce m$ here+rema(n (n En)and, 1443 ha0e seen h(m do. %o' he so(c(ts hea0en, 1-5%(mse& best kno's8 but stran)e$+0(s(ted #eo#e, 1-1A s'o,n and ucerous, #(t(&u to the e$e, 1-!7he mere des#a(r o& sur)er$, he cures, 1-3%an)(n) a )oden stam# about the(r necks, 1-4;ut on '(th ho$ #ra$ers, and ,t(s s#oken, 1--7o the succeed(n) ro$at$ he ea0es 1-/7he hea(n) bened(ct(on. "(th th(s stran)e 0(rtue, 1-1%e hath a hea0en$ )(&t o& #ro#hec$, 1-2And sundr$ bess(n)s han) about h(s throne, 1-47hat s#eak h(m &u o& )race.Enter COSS. MACDUFF See 'ho comes here. MALCOLM 1/5M$ countr$man8 but $et 3 kno' h(m not. MACDUFF 1/1M$ e0er+)ente cous(n, 'ecome h(ther. MALCOLM 1/!3 kno' h(m no'. ?ood ?od bet(mes remo0e 1/37he means that makes us stran)ers> COSS S(r, amen. MACDUFF 1/4Stands Scotand 'here (t d(d< COSS Aas, #oor countr$> 1/-Amost a&ra(d to kno' (tse&. 3t cannot 1//*e ca,d our mother, but our )ra0e8 'here noth(n), 1/1*ut 'ho kno's noth(n), (s once seen to sm(e8 1/2"here s()hs and )roans and shr(eks that rend the a(r 1/4Are made, not mark,d8 'here 0(oent sorro' seems 115A modern ecstas$8 the dead man,s kne 1113s there scarce ask,d &or 'ho8 and )ood men,s (0es 11!E@#(re be&ore the Ho'ers (n the(r ca#s, 113D$(n) or ere the$ s(cken. MACDUFF O, reat(on 1147oo n(ce, and $et too true> MALCOLM "hat,s the ne'est )r(e&< COSS 11-7hat o& an hour,s a)e doth h(ss the s#eaker8 11/Each m(nute teems a ne' one. MACDUFF %o' does m$ '(&e< COSS 111"h$, 'e. MACDUFF And a m$ ch(dren< COSS "e too. MACDUFF 1127he t$rant has not batter,d at the(r #eace< COSS 114.o8 the$ 'ere 'e at #eace 'hen 3 d(d ea0e ,em. MACDUFF 125*e not a n())ard o& $our s#eech8 ho' )oes,t< COSS 121"hen 3 came h(ther to trans#ort the t(d(n)s, 12!"h(ch 3 ha0e hea0($ borne, there ran a rumour 123O& man$ 'orth$ &eo's that 'ere out8 124"h(ch 'as to m$ be(e& '(tness,d the rather, 12-For that 3 sa' the t$rant,s #o'er a+&oot. 12/.o' (s the t(me o& he#8 $our e$e (n Scotand 121"oud create sod(ers, make our 'omen 6)ht, 1227o do: the(r d(re d(stresses. MALCOLM *e,t the(r com&ort 124"e are com(n) th(ther. ?rac(ous En)and hath 145Lent us )ood S('ard and ten thousand men8 141An oder and a better sod(er none 14!7hat Chr(stendom )(0es out. COSS "oud 3 coud ans'er 1437h(s com&ort '(th the (ke> *ut 3 ha0e 'ords 1447hat 'oud be ho',d out (n the desert a(r, 14-"here hear(n) shoud not atch them. MACDUFF "hat concern the$< 14/7he )enera cause< or (s (t a &ee+)r(e& 141Due to some s(n)e breast< COSS .o m(nd that,s honest 142*ut (n (t shares some 'oe8 thou)h the ma(n #art 144;erta(ns to $ou aone. MACDUFF 3& (t be m(ne, !55Eee# (t not &rom me, Bu(ck$ et me ha0e (t. COSS !51Let not $our ears des#(se m$ ton)ue &or e0er, !5!"h(ch sha #ossess them '(th the hea0(est sound !537hat e0er $et the$ heard. MACDUFF %umh> 3 )uess at (t. COSS !549our caste (s sur#r(sed8 $our '(&e and babes !5-Sa0a)e$ sau)hter,d. 7o reate the manner, !5/"ere, on the Buarr$ o& these murder,d deer, !517o add the death o& $ou. MALCOLM Merc(&u hea0en> !52"hat, man> ne,er #u $our hat u#on $our bro's8 !54?(0e sorro' 'ords. 7he )r(e& that does not s#eak !15"h(s#ers the o,er+&rau)ht heart and b(ds (t break. MACDUFF !11M$ ch(dren too< COSS "(&e, ch(dren, ser0ants, a !1!7hat coud be &ound. MACDUFF And 3 must be &rom thence> !13M$ '(&e k(,d too< COSS 3 ha0e sa(d. MALCOLM *e com&orted. !14Let,s make us med(c(nes o& our )reat re0en)e, !1-7o cure th(s dead$ )r(e&. MACDUFF !1/%e has no ch(dren. A m$ #rett$ ones< !11D(d $ou sa$ a< O he+k(te> A< !12"hat, a m$ #rett$ ch(ckens and the(r dam !14At one &e s'oo#< MALCOLM !!5D(s#ute (t (ke a man. MACDUFF 3 sha do so8 !!1*ut 3 must aso &ee (t as a man: !!!3 cannot but remember such th(n)s 'ere, !!37hat 'ere most #rec(ous to me. D(d hea0en ook on, !!4And 'oud not take the(r #art< S(n&u Macdu:, !!-7he$ 'ere a struck &or thee> nau)ht that 3 am, !!/.ot &or the(r o'n demer(ts, but &or m(ne, !!1Fe sau)hter on the(r sous. %ea0en rest them no'> MALCOLM !!2*e th(s the 'hetstone o& $our s'ord: et )r(e& !!4Con0ert to an)er8 bunt not the heart, enra)e (t. MACDUFF !35O, 3 coud #a$ the 'oman '(th m(ne e$es !31And bra))art '(th m$ ton)ue> *ut, )ente hea0ens, !3!Cut short a (nterm(ss(on. Front to &ront !33*r(n) thou th(s 6end o& Scotand and m$se&8 !34"(th(n m$ s'ord,s en)th set h(m8 (& he ,sca#e, !3-%ea0en &or)(0e h(m too> MALCOLM 7h(s tune )oes man$. !3/Come, )o 'e to the k(n)8 our #o'er (s read$8 !31Our ack (s noth(n) but our ea0e8 Macbeth !323s r(#e &or shak(n), and the #o'ers abo0e !34;ut on the(r (nstruments. Cece(0e 'hat cheer $ou ma$, !457he n()ht (s on) that ne0er 6nds the da$.E@eunt.