The same. SCENE VII. Another part of the Plain. Enter MACBETH. Macb. They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly, But, bear-like, I must fight the course.'-What's he, That was not born of woman? Such a one Am I to fear, or none. Enter young SIWARD. Yo. Siw. What is thy name? Macb. Thou'lt be afraid to hear it. Yo. Siw. No; tho' thou call'st thyself a hotter name Than any is in hell. Macb. My name's Macbeth. Yo. Siw. The devil himself could not pronounce a title More hateful to mine ear. Macb. No, nor more fearful. Yo. Siw. Thou liest, abhorred tyrant; with my sword I'll prove the lie thou speak'st. [They fight, and young SIWARD is slain. Macb. Thou wast born of woman. But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn, Alarums. Enter MACDuff. [Exit Macd. That way the noise is :-Tyrant, show thy face I sheath again undeeded. There thou should'st be ; [Exit. Alarum. Enter MALCOLM and old SIWARD. Siw. This way, my lord;-the castle's gently render'd; The tyrant's people on both sides do fight; The noble thanes do bravely in the war; The day almost itself professes yours, And little is to do. [8] A phrase taken from bear-baiting. STEEVENS. [9] From bruit, Fr. To bruit is to report with clamour; to noise. STEEVENS. Mal. We have met with foes That strike beside us. Siw. Enter, sir, the castle. Re-enter MACBETH. [Exeunt. Alarum. Macb. Why should I play the Roman fool, and die On mine own sword?' whiles I see lives, the gashes Do better upon them. Re-enter MACDuff. Macd. Turn, hell-hound, turn. Mach. Of all men else I have avoided thee: But get thee back, my soul is too much charg'd With blood of thine already. Macd. I have no words, My voice is in my sword; thou bloodier villain Macb. Thou losest labour: As easy may'st thou the intrenchant air2 [They fight. With thy keen sword impress, as make me bleed : I bear a charmed life, which must not yield Macd. Despair thy charm; And let the angel, whom thou still hast serv'd, Macb. Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, And live to be the show and gaze o' th' time. Here may you see the tyrant. Macb. I'll not yield, [1] Alluding, perhaps, to the suicide of Cato Uticensis. [2] That is, air, which cannot be cut. JOHNSON. STEEVENS. [3] In the days of chivalry, the champion's arms being ceremoniously blessed, each took an oath that he used no charmed weapons. Macbeth, according to the law of arms, or perhaps only in allusion to this custom, tells Macduff of the security he had in the prediction of the spirit. UPTON. [4] That shuffle with ambiguous expressions. JOHNSON. SCENE VII. The same. Another part of the Plain. Enter MACBETH. Macb. They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly, But, bear-like, I must fight the course.-What's he, That was not born of woman? Such a one Am I to fear, or none. Enter young SIWARD. Yo. Siw. What is thy name? Macb. Thou'lt be afraid to hear it. Yo. Siw. No; tho' thou call'st thyself a hotter name Than any is in hell. Macb. My name's Macbeth. Yo. Siw. The devil himself could not pronounce a title More hateful to mine ear. Macb. No, nor more fearful. Yo. Siw. Thou liest, abhorred tyrant; with my sword I'll prove the lie thou speak'st. [They fight, and young SIWARD is slain. Macb. Thou wast born of woman. But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn, Alarums. Enter MACDuff. [Exit Macd. That way the noise is :-Tyrant, show thy face I sheath again undeeded. There thou should'st be ; [Exit. Alarum. Enter MALCOLM and old SIWARD. Siw. This way, my lord;-the castle's gently render'd; The tyrant's people on both sides do fight; The noble thanes do bravely in the war; The day almost itself professes yours, And little is to do. [8] A phrase taken from bear-baiting. STEEVENS. [9] From bruit, Fr. To bruit is to report with clamour; to noise. STEEVENS. Mal. We have met with foes That strike beside us. Siw. Enter, sir, the castle. Re-enter MACBeth. [Exeunt. Alarum. Macb. Why should I play the Roman fool, and die On mine own sword?' whiles I see lives, the gashes Do better upon them. Re-enter MACDUff. Macd. Turn, hell-hound, turn. Macb. Of all men else I have avoided thee: But get thee back, my soul is too much charg'd With blood of thine already. Macd. I have no words, My voice is in my sword; thou bloodier villain Macb. Thou losest labour: As easy may'st thou the intrenchant air2 [They fight. With thy keen sword impress, as make me bleed: I bear a charmed life, which must not yield Macd. Despair thy charm; And let the angel, whom thou still hast serv'd, Macb. Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, And live to be the show and gaze o' th' time. Here may you see the tyrant. [1] Alluding, perhaps, to the suicide of Cato Uticensis. [2] That is, air, which cannot be cut JOHNSON. STEEVENS. [3] In the days of chivalry, the champion's arms being ceremoniously blessed, each took an oath that he used no charmed weapons. Macbeth, according to the law of arms, or perhaps only in allusion to this custom, tells Macduff of the security he had in the prediction of the spirit. UPTON. [4] That shuffle with ambiguous expressions. JOHNSON. To kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet, I throw my warlike shield: lay on, Macduff; And damn'd be him that first cries, Hold, enough. [Exeunt, fighting Retreat. Flourish. Re-enter, with Drum and Colours, MALCOLM, old SIWARD, ROSSE, LENOX, ANGUS, CATHNESS, MENTETH, and Soldiers. Mal. I would, the friends we miss were safe arriv'd. Mal. Macduff is missing, and your noble son. The which no sooner had his prowess confirm'd In the unshrinking station where he fought, But like a man he died. Siw. Then he is dead? Rosse. Ay, and brought off the field: your cause of sorrow Must not be measur'd by his worth, for then It hath no end. Siw. Had he his hurts before? Rosse. Ay, on the front. Siw. Why then, God's soldier be he! Had I as many sons as I have hairs, I would not wish them to a fairer death :" And so his knell is knoll'd. Mal. He's worth more sorrow, And that I'll spend for him. Siw. He's worth no more; They say, he parted well, and paid his score: [5] This incident is thus related from Henry of Huntingdon, by Camden, in his Remains, from which our author probably copied it :-When Siward, the martial earl of Northumberland, understood that his son, whom he had sent in service against the Scotchmen, was slain, he demanded whether his wound were in the fore part or hinder part of his body. When it was answered, in the fore part, he replied, "I am right glad; neither wish I any other death to me or mine." JOHNSON. |