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Pin. Titinius is enclosed round about
With horsemen, that make to him on the spur;"
Yet he spurs on: now they are almost on him.
Now, Titinius! 8 now some light: - 0! he lights

too:

He's ta'en: [Shout] and, hark! they shout for joy.
Cas. Come down; behold no more.
O, coward that I am, to live so long,
To see my best friend ta'en before my

Re-enter PINDARUS.

Come hither, sirrah.

In Parthia did I take thee prisoner;

face!

And then I swore thee, saving of thy life,

That whatsoever I did bid thee do,

Mes. Mistrust of good success hath done this deed.
O hateful error, melancholy's child! 12
Why dost thou show to the apt 13 thoughts of men
The things that are not? O error! soon conceiv'd,
Thou never com'st unto a happy birth,
But kill'st the mother 14 that engender'd thee.
Tit. What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pindarus?
Mes. Seek him, Titinius, whilst I go to meet
The noble Brutus, thrusting this report
Into his ears: I may say, thrusting it;
For piercing steel, and darts envenomed,
Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus,
As tidings of this sight.

Tit.
Hie you, Messala,
And I will seek for Pindarus the while. [Exit MESSALA

Thou shouldst attempt it. Come now, keep thine Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius?

oath:

Now be a freeman; and with this good sword,

That ran through Cæsar's bowels, search this bosom.
Stand not to answer: here, take thou the hilts;
And, when my face is cover'd, as 't is now,
Guide thou the sword. Cæsar, thou art reveng'd,
Even with the sword that kill'd thee.

[Dies. 10

Pin. So, I am free; yet would not so have been,
Durst I have done my will. O Cassius!
Far from this country Pindarus shall run,
Where never Roman shall take note of him.

Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA.

Mes. It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius
Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power,
As Cassius' legions are by Antony.

Tit. These tidings will well comfort Cassius.
Mes. Where did you leave him?
Tit.

Did I not meet thy friends? and did not they
Put on my brows this wreath of victory,

And bid me give it thee? Didst thou not hear their
shouts?

Alas! thou hast misconstrued every thing.
But hold thee, take this garland on thy brow:
Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and I
Will do his bidding. — Brutus, come apace,
And see how I regarded Caius Cassius. 15
By your leave, gods: this is a Roman's part:"
[Exit. Come, Cassius' sword, and find Titinius' heart. [Dies.
Alarum. Re-enter MESSALA, with BRUTUS, young

All disconsolate,
With Pindarus, his bondman, on this hill.
Mes. Is not that he, that lies upon the ground?
Tit. He lies not like the living. O my heart!
Mes. Is not that he?
Tit.
No, this was he, Messala,
But Cassius is no more. O setting sun!
As in thy red rays thou dost sink to night, 11
So in his red blood Cassius' day is set:
The sun of Rome is set. Our day is gone;

Clouds, dews, and dangers come; our deeds are done.
Mistrust of my success hath done this deed.

-

CATO, STRATO, VOLUMNIUS, and Lucilius.

Bru. Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?
Mes. Lo, yonder; and Titinius mourning it.
Bru. Titinius' face is upward.

Cato.

He is slain.

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zu beziehen: an dem Tage meiner Geburt werde ich auch sterben. 7) Die spornstreichs auf ihn loseilen. 8) Mit diesen Worten ermahnt er den Titinius, obwohl der ihn nicht hören kann, Stand zu halten, sich zur Wehr zu setzen gegen seine Verfolger, die vom Pferde steigen, um ihn gefangen zu nehmen. Die Hgg. setzen 'light för das Sh.'sche light, als ob es aus alight abgekürzt sei. 9) Das pluralische hilts gebraucht Sh. auch sonst von dem Heft eines Schwertes. - Fünf Verse vorher ist I swore thee = ich liess Dich schwören. 10) Statt dieser erst von den Hggn. hinzugefügten Bühnenweisung haben die späteren Folioausgg.: Kills him, d. h. Pindarus kills him. In der ersten Fol. fehlt Beides. 11) Wie Du, in den Strahlen des Abendroths, in Nacht versinkst. - ABdere Hgg. lesen to-night, was die Fol. von to night nicht unterscheidet. 12) Die Schwermuth, welcher Cassins sich hingab, veranlasste ihn zu dem Irrthum in Betreff des Titinius, den er für gefangen von Feinden hielt, da er in der That von Freunden bewillkommnet ward. 13) apt thoughts sind hier die zu solcher irrigen Auffassung vermöge ihrer schwermüthigen Stimmung disponirten Gedanken der Menschen. 14) Die Mutter ist die Schwermuth, welche zugleich mit dem Schwermüthigen selbst in Folge dieses Irrthums stirbt. 15) Titinius ehrte den Cassius nicht bloss, indem er ihn auf Brutus' Befehl mit dem Siegerkranze schmückte, sondern auch, indem er, dem Beispiel des Cassius folgend, sich selbst umbringt. Zu diesen Selbstmord bittet er die Götter um Erlaubniss. 16) So, wie ein Römer, will auch in Hamlet (A. 5, Sc. 2) Horatio seinem Freunde in den Tod folgen: I am more an antique Roman than a Dane: || Here's yet some liquor left. 17) proper verstärkt das synonyme own 18) Vgl. A. 1, Sc. 1, Anm. 15. 19) Ohne die Sh.'sche Phraseologie zu berücksichtigen, die auch sonst den Artikel bei einer Anrede anwendet, änderte Rowe thou last. So in K. Henry VI. Third Part (A. 5, Sc. 5) Take that, the likeness of this railer here. 20) So verbesserte Theobald das Tharsus der Fol., nach North's

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Plutarch: he caused his body to be burnt and sent it to the city of Thassos. Die Cambridge Edd. setzen Thasos dafür. - Wahrscheinlich rührte die Verwechslung von Sh. her, der das in seinem Pericles öfter erwähnte Tharsus besser als Thassos kannte. 21) Die Fol. hat Labio und Flavio. Vgl. A. 1, Sc. 2, Anm. 2.In der folgenden Zeile hat die Fol. a clock für o'clock.

1) d. h. Der würde ein Bastard sein, der nicht das Haupt emporhielte. So in A. 4, Sc. 8: What villain touch'd his body etc. Vgl. A. 4, Sc. 3, Anm. 5. 2) Diese Bühnenweisung ist, so wie die folgende, von den Hggn. hinzugefügt. Die Fol. hat bloss Enter Soldiers and fight, d. h. feindliche Soldaten bekämpfen und überwältigen den jungen Cato. 3) Und Du darfst geehrt werden als Cato's Sohn, der Du bist. 4) Diese Bühnenweisung ist zur Erklärung von den Hggn. hinzugefügt: So viel Gold, wie ich hier in der Hand habe, ist Dein, wenn Du mich sogleich tödtest. 5) So verbessert Pope das I'll tell thee news der Fol. 6) Vgl. A. 1, Sc. 1, Anm. 15.

1) Weshalb Statilius die Fackel zeigen sollte, ist so in North's Plutarch erzählt: Furthermore Brutus thought that there was no greate number of men slaine in bataile, and to know the trueth of it, there was one called Statilius that promised to goe through his enemies, and from thence if all were well, that he would lift up a torch-light in the ayer, and then returne againe with speed to him. The torchlight was lift up as he had promised, for Statilius went thither. Nowe Brutus seeing Statilius tarie long after, and that he came not againe, he say'd: if Statilius be alive, he will come againe. But his euil fortune was suche, that as he came backe, he lighted in his enemies hands, and was slaine. 2) Den scho n durch den Gleichklang hervorgehobenen Gegensatz ta'en, or slain hat Sh. auch an anderen Stellen: K. Richard II. (A. 5, Sc. 6), K. Henry VI. First Part (A. 4, Sc. 4), Troilus and Cressida (A. 5, Sc. 5). 3) Todtschlag ist die Losung; es ist eine That, die jetzt in die Mode kommt. Damit eröffnet, gleichsam scherzhaft, Brutus seine Aufforderung an Clitus, ihn umzubringen. 4) Dasselbe Bild, das einen Weinenden mit einem bis zum Ueberlaufen vollen Gefässe vergleicht, findet sich in Winter's Tale (A. 3, Sc. 3) I never saw a vessel of like sorrow, || So fill'd, and so becoming. 5) Vgl. A. 4, Sc. 3, Anm. 52. 6) Vgl. A. 5, Sc. 3, Anm. 9.

it bezieht sich auf

And, this last night, here in Philippi fields.
I know my hour is come.
Vol.

Not so, my lord.
Bru. Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius.
Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes;
Our enemies have beat us to the pit:

Bru. Farewell, good Strato.

Cæsar, now be still:

I kill'd not thee with half so good a will."

[He runs on his sword, and die.

Alarum: retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSALA,
LUCILIUS, and their Army.

[Low alarums. Good Volumnius,

Oct. What man is that?

It is more worthy to leap in ourselves,
Than tarry till they push us.

Thou know'st, that we two went to school together;
Even for that our love of old, I pray thee,
Hold thou my sword-hilts, whilst I run on it.
Vol. That's not an office for a friend, my lord.

[Alarum still.
Cli. Fly, fly, my lord! there is no tarrying here.'
Bru. Farewell to you;
and you;
and you, Vo-
lumnius. —

Countrymen,

8

Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep;
Farewell to thee too, Strato.
My heart doth joy, that yet in all my life
I found no man, but he was true to me.
I shall have glory by this losing day,
More than Octavius and Mark Antony
By this vile conquest shall attain unto.
So, fare you well at once; for Brutus' tongue
Hath almost ended his life's history.

Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest,
That have but labour'd to attain this hour.

[Alarum. Cry within,, Fly, fly, fly!"

Cli. Fly, my lord, fly!

Bru.

Hence! I will follow.
[Exeunt CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS.
I pr'ythee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord.
Thou art a fellow of a good respect;

Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it:
Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face,
While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?

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And no man else hath honour by his death.
Lucil. So Brutus should be found. - I thank thee,
Brutus,
That thou hast prov'd Lucilius' saying true."1
Oct. All that serv'd Brutus, I will entertain 12 them.
Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?
Stra. Ay; if Messala will prefer 13 me to you.
Oct. Do so, good Messala.

Mes. How died my master, Strato?

Stra. I held the sword, and he did run on it.
Mes. Octavius, then take him to follow thee,
That did the latest service to my master.
Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all:
All the conspirators, save only he,
Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar;
He only, in a general honest thought 14
And common good to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle; and the elements
So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up,
And say to all the world, »This was a man!« 15
Oct. According to his virtue let us use him,
With all respect, and rites of burial.
Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,
Most like a soldier, order'd honourably.
So, call the field to rest; and let 's away,

Stra. Give me your hand first: fare you well, my lord. To part the glories of this happy day.

[Exeunt.

das aus sword-hilts zu entnehmende sword. Schon die dritte Folioausg., mit Sh.'s Sprachgebrauch weniger vertraut, änderte sword's hilt, und die meisten Hgg. folgten ihr darin. 7) In North's Plutarch steht: Volumnius denied his request, and so did many others: and amongest the rest one of them sayd, there was no tarrying for them there, but that they must needes flie. 8) Die Fol. hat den Vers: Farewell to thee, to Strato, Countrymen, wofür Theobald zuerst das Richtige setzte. Zu dem Folgenden vgl. Brutus Worte in North's Plutarch: It rejoiceth my hart that not one of my frends hath failed me at my neede, and I do not complaine of my fortune, but only for my contries sake: for, as for me, I thinke myselfe happier then they that have ouercome, considering that I leave a perpetuall fame of our corage and man hoode, the which our enemies the conquerors shall never attaine unto by force nor money. 9) Cäsar, der bis jetzt noch als Geist den Brutus verfolgt hat, erhält nun die Genugthuung, dass Brutus sich selbst gleichsam zur Sühne noch einmal so gern tödtet, als er den Cäsar umgebracht. 10) Auf die Verbrennung der Todten wurde schon A. 3, Sc. 2 hingedeutet: We'll burn his body in the holy place. 11) Vgl. A. 5, Sc. 4 Lucilius' Worte an den Antonius. 12) to entertain = in Dienst nehmen. 13) to prefer, sonst Jemanden als Diener empfehlen, muss hier bedeuten: Jemanden als Diener einem Andern überlassen. 14) In redlicher, auf das Gemeinwohl gerichteter Absicht. Damit verknüpft die Copula and in Sh.'s loser Verbindung das folgende common good to all, das dem Sinne nach von thought abhängt. 15) Vgl. Einleitung pag. 257.

=

MACBETH.

Einleitung.

Macbeth gehört zu denjenigen Dramen Shakspere's, welche, ohne vorher in einer Einzelausgabe in Quarto veröffentlicht zu sein, zuerst in der Gesammtausgabe der Shakspere'schen Schauspiele im Jahre 1623 herauskamen. Es ist daselbst unter dem Titel The Tragedie of Macbeth abgedruckt, in Acte und Scenen eingetheilt, aber ohne Personenverzeichniss, in einer verhältnissmässig correcten Textbeschaffenheit, deren schwächste Seite nur die äusserst mangelhafte Versabtheilung ist. Im Uebrigen beruhen die Schwierigkeiten nicht so sehr auf einer Verderbniss des Textes, zu dessen Feststellung etwa die Vergleichung mit einer nicht vorhandenen Quartausgabe wünschenswerth erscheinen könnte, als vielmehr auf der Eigenthümlichkeit des Shakspere'schen Styles in seiner späteren Periode überhaupt.

Das Jahr, in welchem Macbeth zuerst auf der Bühne erschien, lässt sich nur annähernd bestimmen. Dass es nach der Thronbesteigung König Jacob's in England, im Jahre 1603, geschrieben sein muss, wird durch eine Anspielung auf die damit herbeigeführte Vereinigung der drei Reiche England, Schottland und Irland, in A. 4, Sc. 1 unseres Dramas, dargethan. Macbeth erkennt unter den künftigen Königen Schottlands aus Banquo's Stamme auch solche: That two-fold balls and treble sceptres carry, also Stuarts, die zugleich Könige von England und Irland wurden. Einen zweiten festen Anhaltspunkt für die Chronologie Macbeth's gewährt das von einem gewissen Dr. Simon Forman geführte Tagebuch, in welchem unterm 20. April 1610 zum ersten Mal über eine Aufführung des Dramas auf dem Theater der Shakspere'schen Schauspielertruppe folgendermassen berichtet wird:

In Macbeth, at the Globe, 1610, the 20th of April, Saturday, there was to be observed, first, how Macbeth and Banquo, two noblemen of Scotland, riding through a wood, there stood before them three women Fairies, or Nymphs, and saluted Macbeth, saying three times unto him, Hail, Macbeth, King of Codor, for thou shalt be a King, but shalt beget no Kings, etc. Then, said Banquo, What! all to Macbeth, and nothing to me? Yes, said the Nymphs, Hail to thee, Banquo; thou shalt beget Kings, yet be no King. And so they departed, and came to the Court of Scotland, to Duncan, King of Scots, and it was in the days of Edward the Confessor. And Duncan bad them both kindly welcome, and made Macbeth forthwith Prince of Northumberland; and sent him home to his own Castle, and appointed Macbeth to provide for him, for he would sup with him the next day at night, and did so.

And Macbeth contrived to kill Duncan, and through the persuasion of his wife did that night murder the King in his own Castle, being his guest. And there were many prodigies seen that night and the day before. And when Macbeth had murdered the King, the blood on his hands could not be washed off by any means, nor from his wife's hands, which handled the bloody daggers in hiding them, by which means they became both much amazed and affronted.

The murder being known, Duncan's two sons fled, the one to England, the [other to] Wales, to save themselves: they, being fled, were supposed guilty of the murder of their father, which was nothing so.

Then was Macbeth crowned King, and then he for fear of Banquo, his old companion, that he should beget Kings but be no King himself, he contrived the death of Banquo, and caused him to be murdered on the way that he rode. The night, being at supper with his noblemen, whom he had bid to a feast (to the which also Banquo should have come), he began to speak of noble Banquo, and to wish that he were there. And as he thus did, standing up to drink a carouse to him, the ghost of Banquo came, and sat down in his chair behind him. And he, turning about to sit down again, saw the ghost of Banquo, which fronted him, so that he fell in a great passion of fear and fury, uttering many words about his murder, by which, when they heard that Banguo was murdered, they suspected Macbeth.

Then Macduff fled to England to the King's son, and so they raised an army and came to Scotland, and at Dunston Anyse overthrew Macbeth. In the mean time, while Macduff was in England, Macbeth slew Macduff's wife and children, and after, in the battle, Macduff slew Macbeth.

Observe, also, how Macbeth's Queen did rise in the night in her sleep, and walk, and talked and confessed all, and the Doctor noted her words.

Jede nähere chronologische Bestimmung innerhalb dieses Zeitraums 1603-1610 muss der Vermuthung anheimgegeben bleiben, und wenn die Meinung mancher Kritiker dahin geht, dass eine Anspielung auf die politische

Vereinigung der drei Reiche nur in der ersten Zeit der Regierung Jacob's habe Effect machen können, so hat, da eine solche Hindeutung auch später wohl aufgenommen werden mochte, die Vermuthung anderer Kritiker, das Forman das Schauspiel als ein neues so ausführlich bespricht, keine geringere Wahrscheinlichkeit für sich. Wenn aber Malone aus zwei Zeitanspielungen, die er in dem Selbstgespräche des Pförtners (A. 2, Sc. 3) finden will, and das Jahr 1606, als auf das der Abfassung dieses Dramas, schliesst, so sind doch diese Data zu weit hergeholt, als dass sie irgend Etwas beweisen könnten.

Den Stoff zu seiner Tragödie entlehnte unser Dichter dem Chronisten Holinshed, der seinerseits seine History of Scotland auf die schottischen Chroniken des Hector Boethius gegründet hatte. Auszüge aus Holinshed werden am deutlichsten den Umfang und die Art der Benutzung dieser Quelle von Seiten Shakspere's darthun können.

one Makbeth

Holinshed beginnt mit einer Charakteristik des Königs und seines Vetters Macbeth: a valiant gentleman, and one that if he had not beene somewhat cruell of nature, might have beene thought most woorthie the governement of a realme. On the other part, Duncane was so soft and gentle of nature, that the people wished the inclinations and maners of these two cousins to have beene so tempered and interchangeablie bestowed betwixt them, that where the one had too much of clemencie, and the other of crueltie, the meane virtue betwixt these two extremities might have reigned by indifferent partition in them both, 80 should Duncane have proved a woorthie king, and Makbeth an excellent capteine.

Es folgt alsdann der Aufstand Macdonwald's und dessen erfolgreiche Bekämpfung durch Macbeth and Banquo; dann der Einfall des norwegischen Königs Sueno in Schottland, unterstützt durch eine dänische Flotte: sent thither by Canute king of England, in revenge of his brother Suenos overthrow. To resist these emimies, which were alreadie landed, and busie in spoiling the countrie, Makbeth and Banquho were sent with the kings authoritie, who having with them a convenient power, incountred the enemies, slue part of them, and chased the other to their ships. They that escaped and got once to their ships, obteined of Makbeth for a great summe of gold, that such of their friends as were slaine at this last bickering, might be buried in saint Colmes Inch.

Die Erscheinung der Hexen, und was sich daran schliesst, erzählt der Chronist in folgender Weise: Shortlie after happened a strange and uncouth woonder, which afterward was the cause of much trouble in the realme of Scotland, as ye shall after heare. It fortuned, as Makbeth and Banquho journied towards Fores, where the king then laie, they went sporting by the waie togither without other companie, save onelie themselves, passing thorough the woods and fields, when suddenlie in the middest of a laund, there mat them three women in strange and wild apparell, resembling creatures of an elder world, whome when they attentivelie beheld, woondering much at the sight, the first of them spake and said; „All haile Makbeth, thane of Glammis" (for he had latelie entered into that dignitie and office by the death of his father Si nell). The second of them said; Haile Makbeth, thane of Cawder." But the third said; „All haile Makbeth, that heereafter shalt be king of Scotland."

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Then Banquho;, What manner of women (saith he) are you, that seeme so little favourable unto me, whereas to my fellow heere, besides high offices, ye assigne also the kingdome, appointing foorth nothing for me at all?" Yes (saith the first of them) we promise greater benefits unto thee, than unto him, for he shall reigne in deed, but with an unluckie end: neither shall he leave anie issue behind him to succeed in his place, where contrarilie thou in deed shalt not reigne at all, but of thee those shall be borne which shall governe the Scotish kingdome by long order of continuall descent." Herewith the foresaid women vanished immediatlie out of their sight. This was reputed at the first but some vaine fantasticall illusion by Makbeth and Banquho, insomuch that Banquho would call Makbeth in jest, king of Scotland; and Makbeth againe would call him in sport likewise, the father of manie kings. But afterwards the com mon opinion was, that these women were either the weird sisters, that is (as ye would say) the goddesse of destinie, or else some nymphs or feiries, indued with knowledge of prophesie by their necromanticall science, bicause everie thing came to passe as they had spoken. For shortlie after, the thane of Cawdor being condemned at Fores of treason against the king committed; his lands, livings, and offices, were given of the kings liberalitie to Makbeth.

The same night after, at supper, Banquho jested with him and said; „Now Makbeth thou hast obteined those things which the two former sisters prophesied, there remaineth onelie for thee to purchase that which the third said should come to passe." Whereupon Makbeth revolving the thing in his mind, began even then to devise how he might atteine to the kingdome: but yet he thought with him elfe that he must tarie a time, which should advance him thereto (by the divine providence) as it had come to passe in his former preferment. But shortlie after it chanced that king Duncane, having two sonnes by his wife which was the daughter of Siward earle of Northumberland, he made the elder of them cleped Malcolme prince of Cumberland, as it were thereby to appoint him his successor in the kingdome, immediatlie after his deceasse Makbeth sore troubled herewith, for that he saw by this means his hope sore hindered (where, by the old lawes of the realme, the ordinance was, that if he that should succeed were not of able age to take the charge upon himselfe, he that was next of bloud unto him should be admitted), he began to take counsell how he might usurpe the kingdome by force, having a just quarell so to doo (as he tooke the matter) for that Duncane did what in him lay to defraud him of all maner of title and claime, which he might, in time to come, pretend unto the crowne.

The woords of the three weird sisters also (of whom before ye have heard) greatlie incouraged him hereunto, but speciallie his wife lay sore upon him to attempt the thing, as she that was verie ambitious, brenning in unquenchable desire to beare the name of a queene. At length therefore, communicating his purposed intent with his trustie friends, amongst whome Banquho was the chiefest, upon confidence of

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