Macbeth Act 4 Scene 2
Fife. Macduff's castle.
The Original
Plain Modern English
Enter Lady Macduff, her Son, and Ross.
Lady Macduff
What had he done, to make him fly the land?
Lady Macduff
What did he do, that he had to flee the country?
Ross
You must have patience, madam.
Ross
You must be patient, madam.
Lady Macduff
He had none:
His flight was madness: when our actions do not,
Our fears do make us traitors.
Lady Macduff
He had none.
His running was madness. Even when our actions don't
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 wisdom or fear.
Lady Macduff
Wisdom! to leave his wife, to leave his babes,
His mansion and his titles in a place
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;
As little is the wisdom, where the flight
So runs against all reason.
Lady Macduff
Wisdom! To leave his wife, leave his children,
his home and his titles, in a place
he himself runs away from? He doesn't love us.
He's missing the natural instinct — even the little wren,
the tiniest of birds, will fight an owl
to defend her chicks in the nest.
It's all fear and no love —
and there's just as little wisdom, when the running away
defies all reason.
Ross
My dearest coz,
I pray you, school yourself: but for your husband,
He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows
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 rumour
From what we fear, yet know not what we fear,
But float upon a wild and violent sea
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!
Ross
My dearest cousin,
please, get hold of yourself. As for your husband:
he's noble, wise, sensible, and understands better than anyone
the convulsions of these times. I don't dare say much more —
but these are cruel times, when we're called traitors
without knowing why; when we believe every rumor
born of our fear, yet can't name what we're afraid of,
just floating on a wild, violent sea,
tossed in every direction. I'll take my leave —
it won't be long before I'm back.
When things hit bottom, they either stop or start climbing
back to what they were. My pretty little cousin —
blessings on 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'm so close to breaking that if I stay any longer
I'll embarrass myself and upset you.
I'll go right now.
Exit Ross.
Lady Macduff
Sirrah, your father's dead;
And what will you do now? How will you live?
Lady Macduff
Well, young man — your father's dead.
What will you do now? How will you live?
Son
As birds do, mother.
Son
Like the birds do, mother.
Lady Macduff
What, with worms and flies?
Lady Macduff
What — on worms and flies?
Son
With what I get, I mean; and so do they.
Son
On whatever I can get, I mean. That's what they do.
Lady Macduff
Poor bird! thou'ldst never fear the net nor lime,
The pitfall nor the gin.
Lady Macduff
Poor little bird! You'd never fear the net, the trap,
the snare, or the birdcatcher's glue.
Son
Why should I, mother? Poor birds they are not set for.
My father is not dead, for all your saying.
Son
Why would I, mother? Nobody sets traps for poor birds.
And my father isn't dead, whatever you say.
Lady Macduff
Yes, he is dead; how wilt thou do for a father?
Lady Macduff
Yes, he's dead. What will you do for a father?
Son
Nay, how will you do for a husband?
Son
The real question is what YOU'll do for a husband.
Lady Macduff
Why, I can buy me twenty at any market.
Lady Macduff
Oh, I can buy twenty husbands at any market.
Son
Then you'll buy 'em to sell again.
Son
Then you'd only buy them to resell them.
Lady Macduff
Thou speak'st with all thy wit: and yet, i' faith,
With wit enough for thee.
Lady Macduff
You're using every bit of wit you've got — and honestly,
it's plenty of wit for your size.
Son
Was my father a traitor, mother?
Son
Was my father a traitor, mother?
Lady Macduff
Ay, that he was.
Lady Macduff
Yes, he was.
Son
What is a traitor?
Son
What's a traitor?
Lady Macduff
Why, one that swears and lies.
Lady Macduff
Someone who makes a promise and breaks it.
Son
And be all traitors that do so?
Son
And is everyone who does that a traitor?
Lady Macduff
Every one that does so is a traitor, and must be hanged.
Lady Macduff
Everyone who does it is a traitor, and must be hanged.
Son
And must they all be hanged that swear and lie?
Son
And they ALL have to be hanged? Everyone who swears and lies?
Lady Macduff
Every one.
Lady Macduff
Every one.
Son
Who must hang them?
Son
Who has to 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 enow to beat
the honest men and hang up them.
Son
Then the liars and oath-breakers are idiots —
because there are enough of them to beat
the honest men and hang THEM instead.
Lady Macduff
Now, God help thee, poor monkey!
But how wilt thou do for a father?
Lady Macduff
God help you, you poor little monkey!
But really — what 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 really dead, you'd be crying for him.
And if you weren't crying, that would be a good sign
that I'd be getting a new father very soon.
Lady Macduff
Poor prattler, how thou talk'st!
Lady Macduff
You little chatterbox — the things you say!
Enter a Messenger.
Messenger
Bless you, fair dame! I am not to you known,
Though in your state of honour 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.
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, good lady! You don't know me,
but I know your rank and honor well.
I fear danger is closing in on you fast.
If you'll take a simple man's advice,
don't be found here — get out, take your little ones.
Scaring you like this feels brutal,
but letting worse happen to you would be savage cruelty —
and it's almost here. Heaven protect you!
I don't dare stay any longer.
Exit Messenger.
Lady Macduff
Whither should I fly?
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 defence,
To say I have done no harm?
Lady Macduff
Where am I supposed to run?
I've done nothing wrong. But then I remember
what world I'm living in — where doing harm
is often praised, and doing good is sometimes
considered dangerous stupidity. So what good, then,
is my woman's defense
of saying 'I've done no harm'?
Enter Murderers.
Lady Macduff
What are these faces?
Lady Macduff
Who are these men?
First Murderer
Where is your husband?
First Murderer
Where's your husband?
Lady Macduff
I hope, in no place so unsanctified
Where such as thou mayst find him.
Lady Macduff
Nowhere so unholy, I hope,
that someone like you could find him.
First Murderer
He's a traitor.
First Murderer
He's a traitor.
Son
Thou liest, thou shag-hair'd villain!
Son
You're lying, you shaggy-haired villain!
First Murderer
What, you egg!
Young fry of treachery!
First Murderer
What's this — you egg!
You little spawn of treason!
Stabbing him.
Son
He has kill'd me, mother:
Run away, I pray you!
Son
He's killed me, mother —
run! Please, run!
Dies. Exit Lady Macduff, crying 'Murder!' Exeunt Murderers, following her.