Read Macbeth Online

Notes 133 

Scene III. 

27. Precious motives: i. e., wife and children. 
34. The title is aifeered: i. e., confirmed. 

142. Convinces: i. e., overpowers. 

143. Assay: i. e., trial or experiment. 
153. Golden stamp. A medal. 

155-6. Leaves . . . benediction. Reference is to James I. 
Edward the Confessor was the first king said to have had 
this power. The reference in general is to the "royal touch" 
of the Stuarts. 

170. Ecstasy. Any extreme state of feeling. Here, sorrow. 

174. Nice: i. e., exact. Is this the correct use of the word? 

188. Doff: i. e., to do off. 

196. Fee grief: i. e., one's own particular sorrow. 

206. Quarry: i. e., heap of slain. 

235. Tune. In the Ff*, this is time. Explain tune. 

*First Folio. 

ACT V 
Scene I. 

29. Their: i. e., of them. 

85. Mated: i. e., amazed, confounded. 

Scene II. 

3. Dear causes. See Act IV, sc. iii, line 27. 
5. Mortified: i. e., dead. 
27. Medicine: i. e., Malcolm. 

30. Sovereign flower . . . weeds. Explain the reference. 

Scene III. 

3. Taint. Used intransitively. 
21. Cheer — disease. Two readings are suggested : cheer — 
disease; or chair — disseat. Which makes the better reading 
here? 

47. Throw physic, etc. Notice the slighting allusion to 
medicine.