E2BN Gallery

SCENE III. A park near the palace.
Enter three Murderers
First Murderer
But who did bid thee join with us?

Third Murderer
Macbeth.

Second Murderer
He needs not our mistrust, since he delivers (note 51)
Our offices and what we have to do
To the direction just.

First Murderer
Then stand with us.
The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day:
Now spurs the lated traveller apace
To gain the timely inn; and near approaches
The subject of our watch.

Third Murderer
Hark! I hear horses.

BANQUO
[Within] Give us a light there, ho!

Second Murderer
Then 'tis he: the rest (note 52)
That are within the note of expectation
Already are i' the court.

First Murderer
His horses go about.

Third Murderer
Almost a mile: but he does usually,
So all men do, from hence to the palace gate
Make it their walk. (note 53)

Second Murderer
A light, a light!

Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE with a torch
Third Murderer
'Tis he.

First Murderer
Stand to't.

BANQUO
It will be rain to-night.

First Murderer
Let it come down.

They set upon BANQUO
BANQUO
O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!
Thou mayst revenge. O slave!

Dies. FLEANCE escapes (note 54)
Third Murderer
Who did strike out the light?

First Murderer
Wast not the way?

Third Murderer
There's but one down; the son is fled.

Second Murderer
We have lost
Best half of our affair.

First Murderer
Well, let's away, and say how much is done.

Exeunt

(51) He needs not our mistrust. The "he" here seems to refer to "Macbeth ;" but it is said of the third murderer by the second murderer to his associate, the first murderer. The meaning of the speech is, 'We need not mistrust him, since he brings us word what we have to do, exactly according to our employer's direction.' That this is the true interpretatlon is shown by the first murderer's rejoinder addressed to the third murderer, "Then stand with us." As this brief dialogue is managed, however, the effect is included of the two men's sense of Macbeth s mistrust of themselves by thus sending a third to join them and keep them to their pledged deed.
(52) The rest that are within the note of expectation. ' The remainder of those who are included in the list of expected guests.' There is evidence that it was the custom to make out a written list of the persons invited to a festive banquet, from the passage referred to in Note 38, Act I, "Romeo and Juliet."
(53) Make it their walk. With what perfect vividness does this small speech set the actual place before our imagination, and serve (most naturally to account for Banquo and Fleance's being on foot when their attackers lie in wait for them.
(54) Fleance escapes. He fled into Wales, where, by the daughter of the prince of that country, he had a son named Walter, who afterwards became Lord High Steward of Scotland, and from thence assumed the name of Walter Steward. From him in a direct line King James I was descended; in compliment to whom Shakespeare made Banquo innocent of the murder of Duncan, although, historically, he was a participator in Macbeth's crime. Moreover, this suited the dramatist's purpose, enabling him to give the moral contrast of the two characters - the one man striving against evil temptation to which the other yielded.