TEXT:
ACT III - SCENE IV. The same. Hall in the palace.
A banquet prepared. Enter MACBETH, LADY MACBETH, ROSS, LENNOX, Lords, and Attendants
MACBETH
You know your own degrees; sit down: at first
And last the hearty welcome.
Lords
Thanks to your majesty.
MACBETH
Ourself will mingle with society,
And play the humble host.
Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time
We will require her welcome.
LADY MACBETH
Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends;
For my heart speaks they are welcome.
First Murderer appears at the door
MACBETH
See, they encounter thee with their hearts' thanks.
Both sides are even: here I'll sit i' the midst:
Be large in mirth; anon we'll drink a measure
The table round.
Approaching the door
There's blood upon thy face.
First Murderer
'Tis Banquo's then.
MACBETH
'Tis better thee without than he within.
Is he dispatched?
First Murderer
My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him.
MACBETH
Thou art the best o' the cut-throats: yet he's good
That did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it,
Thou art the nonpareil.
First Murderer
Most royal sir,
Fleance is 'scaped.
MACBETH
Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect,
Whole as the marble, founded as the rock,
As broad and general as the casing air:
But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in
To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquo's safe?
First Murderer
Ay, my good lord: safe in a ditch he bides,
With twenty trenched gashes on his head;
The least a death to nature.
MACBETH
Thanks for that:
There the grown serpent lies; the worm that's fled
Hath nature that in time will venom breed,
No teeth for the present. Get thee gone. Tomorrow
We'll hear ourselves again.
Exit Murderer
NOTES:
Scottish Nobility
Macbeth is happy to tell the assembled company to arrange themselves in order of their degrees - this is a sign of how layered the Scottish nobility must have been. Everyone would have known where they stood, and been able to arrange themselves appropriately according to the pecking order. This contrasts with the rather chaotic conclusion of the scene, when they’re told to “stand not upon the order of your going”.
Antithesis
As we’ve mentioned numerous times, antithesis is the juxtaposition of opposing ideas. Here Macbeth rather horribly quips that the blood he’s seeing is better on the outside of the murderer (spattered on his face) than still inside Banquo.
Nonpareil
A rather unusual word - it means something without equal, and comes from French.
Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of a particular consonant at the beginning of several words in close proximity. Here we have Macbeth’s complaint at being cabined, cribbed and confined - the harsh ‘c’ sound cuts through and shows his frustration at Fleance’s flight.