Is't night's predominance, or the day's shame,
That darkness does the face of earth entomb,
When living light should kiss it?

Old Man
'Tis unnatural,
Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday last,
A falcon, towering in her pride of place,
Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd.

ROSS
And Duncan's horses--a thing most strange and certain--
Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race,
Turn'd wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out,
Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would make
War with mankind.

Old Man
'Tis said they eat each other.

ROSS
They did so, to the amazement of mine eyes
That look'd upon't. Here comes the good Macduff.

Notes and Glossary
This scene rounds off the first part of the play by filling in the plot and making explicit the most important characteristic of the murder, its unnaturalness. Many of the unnatural events referred to -and perhaps the storm described in 11.111- are taken from Holinshed's account of the murder of King Duff. ACT 2 Scene 4 Line 866 Sore. Grievous. ACT 2 Scene 4 Line 867 Trifled. ..knowings. Made previous experience seem trivial. ACT 2 Scene 4 Line 870 Bloody stage. The earth, scene of bloody deeds. The image of the stage has been anticipated by 'act' and also by 'heavens' -the name given to the canopy, painted with the signs of the zodiac, that extended over the stage. ACT 2 Scene 4 Line 871 The travelling lamp. 'The sun. , ACT 2 Scene 4 Line 875 Unnatural, even like the deed that's done. Here again Shakespeare derives material from Holinshed and adapts it to his purpose. The historian, recording the prodigies that occurred after the murder ofKing Duff, mentions: "For the space of six months togither there appeared no sunne by day, nor moone by night, in any part of the realme, but still was the sky coveredwith continual clouds; and tempests, that the people were in great fear of present destruction." ACT 2 Scene 4 Line 877 Towering in her pride of place. A phrase in falconry for 'soaring at the highest point of flight.' ACT 2 Scene 4 Line 878 A mousing owl An owl hunting for mice, as its usual prey. Holinshed records the circumstance that "there was a sparhawk strangled by an owl;" and also that "horses of singular beauty and swiftness did eat their own flesh." ACT 2 Scene 4 Line 892 Pretend. 'Intend,' 'design,' 'purpose.' ACT 2 Scene 4 Line 900 The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth. Because he stood next in succession to the corwn, after the sons of Duncan. ACT 2 Scene 4 Line 904 Colme-kill. The famous Iona, one of the western isles, mentioned by Holinshed as the burial-place of many ancient kings of Scotland. "Colme-kill" means 'cell' or 'chapel of St Columb. See Act I. "Kill" in the Erse language, signifies a burying place. ACT 2 Scene 4 Line 908 I'll to Fife. Macduff's castle was at Fife. ACT 2 Scene 4 Line 909 I will thither. Meaning, travel to Scone. ACT 2 Scene 4 Line 913 Benison. 'Blessing' Old French benicon, 'benediction.'

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ROSS
Will you to Scone?

MACDUFF
No, cousin, I'll to Fife.

ROSS
Well, I will thither.

MACDUFF
Well, may you see things well done there: adieu!
Lest our old robes sit easier than our new!

ROSS
Farewell, father.

Old Man
God's benison go with you; and with those
That would make good of bad, and friends of foes!

Exuent

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