Authors: William Shakespeare
54
Untimely
prematurely (Macduff was born by Caesarian section)
56
cowed
overawed, intimidated
better … man
i.e. courage, manly spirit
57
juggling
deceiving/ equivocating
58
palter
equivocate
59
keep … hope
only fulfill their promises verbally rather than in the manner we expected
62
show … o’th’time
sideshow or public spectacle of the age
64
Painted … pole
(your picture) painted on a sign, as an advertisement for the attraction
underwrit
written underneath
68
rabble
mob of commoners
70
opposed
facing me/hostile to me
71
try the last
attempt the extreme/undergo the utmost
72
Lay on
set to, go about it
74
would
wish
75
go off
die
these
i.e. those present
78
soldier’s debt
i.e. death
80
prowess
bravery
81
unshrinking station
brave stand
87
before
on the front of his body (which would show that he had died fighting honorably, not running away)
90
hairs
puns on “heirs”
92
knolled
tolled
94
spend
expend (in tears)
96
score
bill, amount owed
98
stands
i.e. on a pole or lance
99
free
liberated from tyranny
100
compassed … pearl
i.e. surrounded by the finest nobles of Scotland (plays on the idea of being crowned)
101
salutation
greeting
105
spend
waste/pay out
106
reckon
settle accounts
107
make … you
i.e. by rewarding the thanes’ loyalty
110
planted … time
performed now as befits the beginning of a new age
113
ministers
agents
self and violent
her own violent
115
by … life
i.e. committed suicide
116
needful else
other necessary things
117
grace of grace
i.e. grace of God (the essence of grace itself)
118
measure
due proportion
12
the count
the full number
13
’noint
anoint (apply an oil, perhaps in ritual manner)
15
dues
what is owed to him
16
cull
embrace
17
muse
wonder
23
furnished
prepared/equipped
31
crystal
an alternative reading in the early musical sources is “
mistress’”
34
sound
make noise/can be heard
36
breach
breaking (waves)
3
keep … in
keep the gruel in the cauldron viscous
10
bane
poison
12
oil
venom
13
madder
more potent, liable to provoke frenzy/red-colored (from the plant “madder” used in dyeing)
14
rid
get rid of
15
wench
girl/lass (
red-haired
people were sometimes associated with evil)