Scene II

[Fife. Macduff's castle.]

Enter Macduff's wife, her Son, and Ross.

LADY MACDUFF:

What had he done, to make him fly the land?

LADY MACDUFF:

What had he done to make him fly the land?

ROSS:

You must have patience, madam.

ROSS:

You must have patience, madam.

LADY MACDUFF:

He had none;
His flight was madness. When our actions do not,
Our fears do make us traitors.(5)

LADY MACDUFF:

He had none.
His flight was madness. When our actions do not make us traitors,
Our fears do.

ROSS:

You know not
Whether it was his wisdom or his fear.

ROSS:

You don’t know
Whether it was his wisdom or his fear.

LADY MACDUFF:

Wisdom? To leave his wife, to leave his
babes,
His mansion, and his titles, in a place(10)
From whence himself does fly? He loves us not;
He wants the natural touch: for the poor wren,
The most diminutive of birds, will fight,
Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.
All is the fear and nothing is the love;(15)
As little is the wisdom, where the flight
So runs against all reason.

LADY MACDUFF:

Wisdom! To leave his wife, to leave his babes,
His mansion, and his titles, in a place
That he himself flies from? He doesn’t love us.
He lacks any feeling of what it means to act naturally,
Because the poor wren, the most diminutive of birds,
Will fight to defend her young ones in her nest against the owl.
All his actions are from the fear, and nothing is from the love.
Just as there is little wisdom, where the flight
So runs is against all reason.

ROSS:

My dearest coz,
I pray you, school yourself. But for your husband,
He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows(20)
The fits o’ the season. I dare not speak much further;
But cruel are the times, when we are traitors
And do not know ourselves; when we hold rumor
From what we fear, yet know not what we fear,
But float upon a wild and violent sea(25)
Each way and move. I take my leave of you;
Shall not be long but I'll be here again.
Things at the worst will cease, or else climb upward
To what they were before. My pretty cousin,
Blessing upon you!(30)

ROSS:

My dearest cousin,
I beg you, have patience yourself. Your husband,
Is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows
What to do in these times. I don’t dare speak much further.
Only the times are cruel when we are traitors
And don’t know ourselves, when we stop rumor
From what we fear and don’t know what we fear,
Only float upon a wild and violent sea
Tossed each way. I take my leave of you.
It won’t be long until I'll be here again.
Things at the worst will cease, or else return
To the way they were before. My pretty cousin,
Blessing upon you!

LADY MACDUFF:

Father'd he is, and yet he's fatherless.

LADY MACDUFF:

He has a father, and yet he's fatherless.

ROSS:

I am so much a fool, should I stay longer,
It would be my disgrace and your discomfort.
I take my leave at once.

ROSS:

I am so much a fool, that if I stayed longer,
It would be my disgrace and your discomfort.
I leave you at once.

Exit Ross.

LADY MACDUFF:

Sirrah, your father's dead.(35)
And what will you do now? How will you live?

LADY MACDUFF:

Son, your father's dead,
And what will you do now? How will you live?

SON:

As birds do, Mother.

SON:

As birds do, mother.

LADY MACDUFF:

What, with worms and flies?

LADY MACDUFF:

What, with worms and flies?

SON:

With what I get, I mean; and so do they.

SON:

With what I get, I mean, as they do.

LADY MACDUFF:

Poor bird! Thou'ldst never fear the net nor(40)
lime,
The pitfall nor the gin.

LADY MACDUFF:

Poor bird! You would never fear being caught or dying,
The mistakes nor the tricks.

SON:

Why should I, Mother? Poor birds they are not set for.
My father is not dead, for all your saying.

SON:

Why should I, mother? Poor birds do not fall down.
My father is not dead, is all you’re saying.

LADY MACDUFF:

Yes, he is dead. How wilt thou do for a father?(45)

LADY MACDUFF:

Yes, he is dead. How will you do for a father?

SON:

Nay, how will you do for a husband?

SON:

No, how will you do for a husband?

LADY MACDUFF:

Why, I can buy me twenty at any market.

LADY MACDUFF:

Why, I can buy me twenty at any market.

SON:

Then you'll buy ’em to sell again.

SON:

Then you'll buy them to sell again.

LADY MACDUFF:

Thou speak'st with all thy wit, and yet, i’ faith,
With wit enough for thee.(50)

LADY MACDUFF:

You speak with all your wit, and yet, in faith,
With wit enough for you.

SON:

Was my father a traitor, Mother?

SON:

Was my father a traitor, mother?

LADY MACDUFF:

Ay, that he was.

LADY MACDUFF:

Yes, that he was.

SON:

What is a traitor?

SON:

What is a traitor?

LADY MACDUFF:

Why, one that swears and lies.

LADY MACDUFF:

Why, one that swears and lies.

SON:

And be all traitors that do so?(55)

SON:

And are all traitors like that?

LADY MACDUFF:

Everyone that does so is a traitor and must
be hanged.

LADY MACDUFF:

Everyone that does so is a traitor and must be hanged.

SON:

And must they all be hanged that swear and lie?

SON:

And must they all be hanged that swear and lie?

LADY MACDUFF:

Every one.

LADY MACDUFF:

Every one.

SON:

Who must hang them?(60)

SON:

Who must hang them?

LADY MACDUFF:

Why, the honest men.

LADY MACDUFF:

Why, the honest men.

SON:

Then the liars and swearers are fools; for there are liars
and swearers enough to beat the honest men and hang up
them.

SON:

Then the liars and swearers are fools, because there are liars
and swearers enough to beat the honest men and hang up them.

LADY MACDUFF:

Now, God help thee, poor monkey! But how(65)
wilt thou do for a father?

LADY MACDUFF:

Now, God help you, poor monkey! Only how will
you do for a father?

SON:

If he were dead, you'ld weep for him: if you would not,
it were a good sign that I should quickly have a new
father.

SON:

If he were dead, you would weep for him. If you would not weep, then it
Is a good sign that I should quickly have a new father.

LADY MACDUFF:

Poor prattler, how thou talk'st!(70)

LADY MACDUFF:

Poor prattler, how you talk!

Enter a Messenger.

MESSENGER:

Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you known,
Though, in your state of honor I am perfect.
I doubt some danger does approach you nearly.
If you will take a homely man's advice,
Be not found here; hence, with your little ones.(75)
To fright you thus, methinks I am too savage;
To do worse to you were fell cruelty,
Which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve you!
I dare abide no longer.

MESSENGER:

Bless you, beautiful dame! You don’t know me,
But I know you though in your state of honor.
I know that some danger approaches you nearby.
If you will take a homely man's advice,
Don’t be found here, here, with your little ones.
To frighten you in this way, I think I am too savage.
To do worse to you would be awful cruelty,
Which is too near your person. Heaven preserve you!
I cannot stay any longer.

Exit.

LADY MACDUFF:

Whither should I fly?(80)
I have done no harm. But I remember now
I am in this earthly world, where to do harm
Is often laudable, to do good sometime
Accounted dangerous folly. Why then, alas,
Do I put up that womanly defense,(85)
To say I have done no harm?—What are these faces?

LADY MACDUFF:

Where should I fly?
I have done no harm. Only I remember now that
I am in this earthly world, where to do harm
Is often praiseworthy, to do good sometime
Is a dangerous mistake. Why then, for pity’s sake,
Do I put up that womanly defense,
To say I have done no harm? What are these faces?

Enter Murderers.

FIRST MURDERER:

Where is your husband?

FIRST MURDERER:

Where is your husband?

LADY MACDUFF:

I hope, in no place so unsanctified Where such as thou mayst find him.

LADY MACDUFF:

I hope, in no place so unsanctified or shamed as
Where such as you may find him.

FIRST MURDERER:

He's a traitor.

FIRST MURDERER:

He's a traitor.

SON:

Thou liest, thou shag-ear'd villain!(90)

SON:

You lie, you shag-haired villain!

FIRST MURDERER:

What, you egg!

[Stabs him.]

Young fry of treachery!

FIRST MURDERER:

What, you egg!

Young child of treachery!

SON:

He has kill'd me, Mother.
Run away, I pray you!

SON:

He has killed me, mother.
Run away, I beg you!

Exit [Lady Macduff], crying “Murder!”

[Exeunt murderers.]