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Modern Text |
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Enter ROSS with an OLD
MAN
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ROSS and an OLD MAN
enter.
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OLD MAN Threescore and ten I can remember well,
Within the volume of which time I have seen
Hours dreadful and things strange, but this sore night
Hath trifled former knowings.
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OLD MAN I can remember the past seventy years pretty well, and in all that
time I have seen dreadful hours and strange things. But last
night’s horrors make everything that came before seem like
a joke.
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ROSS Ha,
good father,
5Thou seest the heavens, as troubled with man’s act,
Threatens his bloody stage. By th' clock ’tis
day,
And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp.
Is ’t night’s predominance or the day’s
shame
That darkness does the face of Earth entomb
10When living light should kiss it?
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ROSS Ah yes, old man. You can see the skies. They look like
they’re upset about what mankind has been doing, and
they’re threatening the Earth with storms. The clock says
it’s daytime, but dark night is strangling the sun. Is it
because night is so strong, or because day is so weak, that darkness
covers the earth when it’s supposed to be light?
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OLD MAN 'Tis
unnatural,
Even like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday last,
A falcon, tow'ring in her pride of place,
Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed.
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OLD MAN It’s unnatural, just like the murder that has been
committed. Last Tuesday a falcon was circling high in the sky, and
it was caught and killed by an ordinary owl that usually goes after
mice.
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ROSS And Duncan’s horses—a thing most strange and
certain—
15Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race,
Turned wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out,
Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would
Make war with mankind.
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ROSS And something else strange happened. Duncan’s horses,
which are beautiful and swift and the best of their breed, suddenly
turned wild and broke out of their stalls. Refusing to be obedient
as usual, they acted like they were at war with mankind.
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OLD MAN 'Tis
said they eat each other.
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OLD MAN They say the horses ate each other.
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ROSS They did so, to th' amazement of mine eyes
20That looked upon ’t. Here comes the good Macduff.
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ROSS I saw it with my own eyes. It was an amazing sight. Here comes the
good Macduff.
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Enter MACDUFF
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MACDUFF enters.
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