You know your own degrees; sit down
Macbeth
You know your own degrees; sit down. At first
And last, the hearty welcome. They sit.
Lords
Thanks to your Majesty.
Macbeth
Ourself will mingle with society
And play the humble host.
Our hostess keeps her state, but in best time
We will require her welcome.
But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in
To saucy doubts and fears
Lady Macbeth
Pronounce it for me, sir, to all our friends,
For my heart speaks they are welcome.Synecdoche
Enter First Murderer to the door.
Macbeth
See, they encounter thee with their hearts’ thanks.Synecdoche
Both sides are even. Here I’ll sit i’ th’ midst.
Be large in mirth. Anon we’ll drink a measure
The table round.
He approaches the Murderer.
There’s blood upon thy face.
Murderer
’Tis Banquo’s then.
Macbeth
’Tis better thee without than he within.Antithesis
Is he dispatched?
Murderer
My lord, his throat is cut. That I did for him.
Macbeth
Thou art the best o’ th’ cutthroats,
Yet he’s good that did the like for Fleance.
If thou didst it, thou art the nonpareil.
Murderer
Most royal sir, Fleance is ’scaped.
Macbeth, aside
Then comes my fit again. I had else been perfect,
Whole as the marble, founded as the rock,
As broad and general as the casing air.Similes
But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound inSynonymia
To saucy doubts and fears.—But Banquo’s safe?
Murderer
Ay, my good lord. Safe in a ditch he bides,
With twenty trenchèd gashes on his head,
The least a death to nature.
Macbeth
Thanks for that.
There the grown serpent lies. The worm that’s fled
Hath nature that in time will venom breed,
No teeth for th’ present.Metaphors Get thee gone. Tomorrow
We’ll hear ourselves again.
Murderer exits.