My former speeches have but hit your thoughts,
Which can interpret farther: only, I say,
Thing’s have been strangely borne. The gracious Duncan
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
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?
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
(As, and’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,
Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?
My former speeches have but hit your thoughts, Which can interpret farther: only, I say, Thing’s have been strangely borne. The gracious Duncan 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 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? 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 (As, and’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, Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell Where he bestows himself?
my former speeches have but hit your thoughts, which can interpret farther: only, i say, thing’s have been strangely borne. the gracious duncan 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 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? 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 (as, and’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, macduff lives in disgrace. sir, can you tell where he bestows himself?
my former speeches have but hit your thoughts, which can int
The son of Duncan,
From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth,
Lives in the English court and is receiv’d
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
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,
All which we pine for now. And this report
Hath so exasperate the King that he
Prepares for some attempt of war.
The son of Duncan, From whom this tyrant holds the due of birth, Lives in the English court and is receiv’d 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 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, All which we pine for now. And this report Hath so exasperate the King that he Prepares for some attempt of war.
the son of duncan, from whom this tyrant holds the due of birth, lives in the english court and is receiv’d 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 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, all which we pine for now. and this report hath so exasperate the king that he prepares for some attempt of war.
the son of duncan, from whom this tyrant holds the due of bi
Sent he to Macduff?
Sent he to Macduff?
sent he to macduff?
sent he to macduff?
Scene 3-6 is one of the most politically sophisticated scenes in Shakespeare. Lennox does not accuse Macbeth; he praises him — so extravagantly and with such precise incongruity that every sentence becomes its own refutation. This technique — saying the opposite of what you mean in a context that makes the opposite unmistakable — is what political scientists call 'Aesopian language,' after the practice of slaves using fables to communicate forbidden truths. Under a tyrant, direct speech is fatal; irony allows the speaker to communicate, survive, and maintain plausible deniability. The scene also shows us that by Act 3 Macbeth's crimes are no longer secret to the people who matter. The nobility knows. The question is no longer 'did Macbeth do it' but 'when will the response be organized and who will lead it.' The answer, as we learn here, is already being assembled in England.
He did: and with an absolute “Sir, not I,”
The cloudy messenger turns me his back,
And hums, as who should say, “You’ll rue the time
That clogs me with this answer.”
He did: and with an absolute “Sir, not I,” The cloudy messenger turns me his back, And hums, as who should say, “You’ll rue the time That clogs me with this answer.”
he did: and with an absolute “sir, not i,” the cloudy messenger turns me his back, and hums, as who should say, “you’ll rue the time that clogs me with this answer.”
he did: and with an absolute “sir, not i,” the cloudy messen
And that well might
Advise him to a caution, t’ hold what distance
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 accurs’d!
And that well might Advise him to a caution, t’ hold what distance 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 accurs’d!
and that well might advise him to a caution, t’ hold what distance 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 accurs’d!
and that well might advise him to a caution, t’ hold what di
I’ll send my prayers with him.
I’ll send my prayers with him.
i’ll send my prayers with him.
i’ll send my prayers with him.
The Reckoning
This is the turn of the political tide, rendered through one of Shakespeare's most sophisticated rhetorical techniques: sustained irony. Lennox does not say outright that Macbeth is guilty — he says the opposite, with such exaggerated praise that every line means its inverse. '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?' — he is describing the murder of the grooms, which everyone knows was staged, with mock-admiration that signals the opposite. The lord he speaks to understands completely. This is the language of a court under a tyrant: everyone knows the truth, no one says it directly, the conversation happens in code. By the end of the scene we learn that Macduff has refused the tyrant's summons, has gone to England, and the armed response is being organized. The tide has turned.
If this happened today…
Two executives in a hallway, speaking very carefully. 'It was amazing how quickly the CEO managed to discover the CFO was the embezzler. And wasn't it fortunate he was there personally to fire him before any investigation could take place? What a thorough man.' Both of them know exactly what they're saying. The second one mentions that the former VP has already contacted the board members in London.