First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
| |
| Enter Rosse, with an Old man. | Enter Ross with an Old Man | | Mac II.iv.1 | |
| Old man. | OLD MAN | | | |
| Threescore and ten I can remember well, | Threescore-and-ten I can remember well; | | Mac II.iv.1 | |
| Within the Volume of which Time, I haue seene | Within the volume of which time I have seen | | Mac II.iv.2 | |
| Houres dreadfull, and things strange: but this sore Night | Hours dreadful and things strange; but this sore night | sore (adj.) violent, harsh, dreadful | Mac II.iv.3 | |
| Hath trifled former knowings. | Hath trifled former knowings. | trifle (v.) make trivial, render insignificant | Mac II.iv.4.1 | |
| Rosse. | ROSS | | | |
| Ha, good Father, | Ha, good father, | father (n.) old man, venerable sir | Mac II.iv.4.2 | |
| Thou seest the Heauens, as troubled with mans Act, | Thou seest the heavens, as troubled with man's act, | | Mac II.iv.5 | |
| Threatens his bloody Stage: byth' Clock 'tis Day, | Threatens his bloody stage. By the clock 'tis day, | | Mac II.iv.6 | |
| And yet darke Night strangles the trauailing Lampe: | And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp; | strangle (v.) quench, eclipse, stifle | Mac II.iv.7 | |
| Is't Nights predominance, or the Dayes shame, | Is't night's predominance or the day's shame | predominance (n.) ascendancy, predominant influence, authority | Mac II.iv.8 | |
| That Darknesse does the face of Earth intombe, | That darkness does the face of earth entomb | | Mac II.iv.9 | |
| When liuing Light should kisse it? | When living light should kiss it? | | Mac II.iv.10.1 | |
| Old man. | OLD MAN | | | |
| 'Tis vnnaturall, | 'Tis unnatural, | | Mac II.iv.10.2 | |
| Euen like the deed that's done: On Tuesday last, | Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday last, | | Mac II.iv.11 | |
| A Faulcon towring in her pride of place, | A falcon towering in her pride of place | pride of place highest point reached by a bird of prey before swooping down | Mac II.iv.12 | |
| | tower (v.) [falconry] mount up to a great height, circle, soar | | |
| Was by a Mowsing Owle hawkt at, and kill'd. | Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed. | hawk at (v.) pursue, attack, chase | Mac II.iv.13 | |
| Rosse. | ROSS | | | |
| And Duncans Horses, (A thing most strange, and certaine) | And Duncan's horses – a thing most strange and certain – | | Mac II.iv.14 | |
| Beauteous, and swift, the Minions of their Race, | Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, | minion (n.) darling, favourite, select one | Mac II.iv.15 | |
| Turn'd wilde in nature, broke their stalls, flong out, | Turned wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, | | Mac II.iv.16 | |
| Contending 'gainst Obedience, as they would | Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would | contend (v.) fight, engage in combat, struggle | Mac II.iv.17 | |
| Make Warre with Mankinde. | Make war with mankind. | | Mac II.iv.18.1 | |
| Old man. | OLD MAN | | | |
| 'Tis said, they eate each other. | 'Tis said they ate each other. | | Mac II.iv.18.2 | |
| Rosse. | ROSS | | | |
| They did so: To th' amazement of mine eyes | They did so, to the amazement of mine eyes | | Mac II.iv.19 | |
| that look'd vpon't. | That looked upon't. | | Mac II.iv.20.1 | |
| Enter Macduffe. | Enter Macduff | | Mac II.iv.20 | |
| Heere comes the good Macduffe. | Here comes the good Macduff. | | Mac II.iv.20.2 | |
| How goes the world Sir, now? | How goes the world, sir, now? | | Mac II.iv.21.1 | |
| Macd. | MACDUFF | | | |
| Why see you not? | Why, see you not? | | Mac II.iv.21.2 | |
| Ross. | ROSS | | | |
| Is't known who did this more then bloody deed? | Is't known who did this more than bloody deed? | bloody (adj.) involving bloodshed | Mac II.iv.22 | |
| Macd. | MACDUFF | | | |
| Those that Macbeth hath slaine. | Those that Macbeth hath slain. | | Mac II.iv.23.1 | |
| Ross. | ROSS | | | |
| Alas the day, | Alas the day! | | Mac II.iv.23.2 | |
| What good could they pretend? | What good could they pretend? | pretend (v.) intend, design, plan | Mac II.iv.24.1 | |
| Macd. | MACDUFF | | | |
| They were subborned, | They were suborned. | suborn (v.) bribe, corrupt, persuade [someone] to commit perjury | Mac II.iv.24.2 | |
| Malcolme, and Donalbaine the Kings two Sonnes | Malcolm and Donalbain, the King's two sons, | | Mac II.iv.25 | |
| Are stolne away and fled, which puts vpon them | Are stolen away and fled, which puts upon them | | Mac II.iv.26 | |
| Suspition of the deed. | Suspicion of the deed. | | Mac II.iv.27.1 | |
| Rosse. | ROSS | | | |
| 'Gainst Nature still, | 'Gainst nature still! | still (adv.) constantly, always, continually | Mac II.iv.27.2 | |
| Thriftlesse Ambition, that will rauen vp | Thriftless ambition, that wilt raven up | raven up (v.) feed ravenously on, devour voraciously | Mac II.iv.28 | |
| Thine owne liues meanes: Then 'tis most like, | Thine own life's means! – Then 'tis most like | like (adv.) likely, probable / probably | Mac II.iv.29 | |
| The Soueraignty will fall vpon Macbeth. | The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth? | | Mac II.iv.30 | |
| Macd. | MACDUFF | | | |
| He is already nam'd, and gone to Scone | He is already named and gone to Scone | name (v.) appoint, choose, designate [to an office] | Mac II.iv.31 | |
| To be inuested. | To be invested. | | Mac II.iv.32.1 | |
| Rosse. | ROSS | | | |
| Where is Duncans body? | Where is Duncan's body? | | Mac II.iv.32.2 | |
| Macd. | MACDUFF | | | |
| Carried to Colmekill, | Carried to Colmekill, | Colmekill (n.) Iona, island off the W coast of Scotland; once the traditional burial place for Scottish kings | Mac II.iv.33 | |
| The Sacred Store-house of his Predecessors, | The sacred storehouse of his predecessors | | Mac II.iv.34 | |
| And Guardian of their Bones. | And guardian of their bones. | | Mac II.iv.35.1 | |
| Rosse. | ROSS | | | |
| Will you to Scone? | Will you to Scone? | | Mac II.iv.35.2 | |
| Macd. | MACDUFF | | | |
| No Cosin, Ile to Fife. | No, cousin, I'll to Fife. | | Mac II.iv.36.1 | |
| Rosse. | ROSS | | | |
| Well, I will thither. | Well, I will thither. | | Mac II.iv.36.2 | |
| Macd. | MACDUFF | | | |
| Well may you see things wel done there: Adieu | Well, may you see things well done there – Adieu! – | | Mac II.iv.37 | |
| Least our old Robes sit easier then our new. | Lest our old robes sit easier than our new. | | Mac II.iv.38 | |
| Rosse. | ROSS | | | |
| Farewell, Father. | Farewell, father. | | Mac II.iv.39 | |
| Old M. | OLD MAN | | | |
| Gods benyson go with you, and with those | God's benison go with you, and with those | benison (n.) blessing, benediction | Mac II.iv.40 | |
| That would make good of bad, and Friends of Foes. | That would make good of bad, and friends of foes! | | Mac II.iv.41 | |
| Exeunt omnes | Exeunt | | Mac II.iv.41 | |