The Tragedy of Macbeth: ACT III
Introduction ACT I ACT II ACT III SCENE I. Forres. The palace. SCENE II. The palace. SCENE III. A park near the palace. SCENE IV. The same. Hall in the palace. SCENE V. A Heath. SCENE VI. Forres. The palace. ACT IV ACT V About the Play Feedback			Search: All the plays Hamlet Coriolanus Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet Richard II Richard III Titus Andronicus Antony and Cleopatra Timon of Athens Henry IV Part 1 Henry IV Part 2 Henry the Fifth Henry VI Part 1 Henry VI Part 2 Henry VI Part 3 Henry VIII King John Pericles Troilus and Cressida All's Well... As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Cymbeline A Midsummer... Love's Labour's Lost Measure for Measure The Merry Wives... Much Ado about Nothing The Merchant of Venice Twelfth Night The Taming of... The Tempest The Two Gentlemen... The Winter's Tale    for: SCENE VI. Forres. The palace. Enter LENNOX and another Lord LENNOX       My former speeches have but hit your thoughts,       Which can interpret further: only, I say,       Things have been strangely borne. The       gracious Duncan 5     Was pitied of Macbeth: marry, he was dead:       And the right-valiant Banquo walk'd too late;       Whom, you may say, if't please you, Fleance kill'd,       For Fleance fled: men must not walk too late.       Who cannot want the thought how monstrous 10    It was for Malcolm and for Donalbain       To kill their gracious father? damned fact!       How it did grieve Macbeth! did he not straight       In pious rage the two delinquents tear,       That were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep? 15    Was not that nobly done? Ay, and wisely too;       For 'twould have anger'd any heart alive       To hear the men deny't. So that, I say,       He has borne all things well: and I do think       That had he Duncan's sons under his key-- 20    As, an't please heaven, he shall not--they       should find       What 'twere to kill a father; so should Fleance.       But, peace! for from broad words and 'cause he fail'd       His presence at the tyrant's feast, I hear 25    Macduff lives in disgrace: sir, can you tell       Where he bestows himself? Lord       The son of Duncan,       From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth       Lives in the English court, and is received 30    Of the most pious Edward with such grace       That the malevolence of fortune nothing       Takes from his high respect: thither Macduff       Is gone to pray the holy king, upon his aid       To wake Northumberland and warlike Siward: 35    That, by the help of these--with Him above       To ratify the work--we may again       Give to our tables meat, sleep to our nights,       Free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives,       Do faithful homage and receive free honours: 40    All which we pine for now: and this report       Hath so exasperate the king that he       Prepares for some attempt of war. LENNOX       Sent he to Macduff? Lord       He did: and with an absolute 'Sir, not I,' 45    The cloudy messenger turns me his back,       And hums, as who should say 'You'll rue the time       That clogs me with this answer.' LENNOX       And that well might       Advise him to a caution, to hold what distance 50    His wisdom can provide. Some holy angel       Fly to the court of England and unfold       His message ere he come, that a swift blessing       May soon return to this our suffering country       Under a hand accursed! Lord 55    I'll send my prayers with him. Exeunt Return to top of page ... or ... Go to next scene