"Whiles I threat, he lives: / Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives"
Macbeth comes out of his reverie with the realization that his threats aren't equivalent to action. Breath seems to play as a metaphor for both words and life. Depending upon the interpretation here, Macbeth either says, "words are no match for deeds" or "words are the death of deeds." He realizes that talking about the murder is wearing away his courage to follow through.
Macbeth comes out of his reverie with the realization that his threats aren't equivalent to action. Breath seems to play as a metaphor for both words and life. Depending upon the interpretation here, Macbeth either says, "words are no match for deeds" or "words are the death of deeds." He realizes that talking about the murder is wearing away his courage to follow through.