Question

read the excerpt from act 3, scene 4 of the tragedy of macbeth. macbeth has learned that fleance escaped the murderers.
macbeth. the worm thats fled
hath nature that in time will venom breed,
no teeth for the present. get thee gone; to-morrow
well hear ourselves again.

what does macbeth mean by \the worm thats fled
hath nature that in time will venom breed\?
○ fleance will likely die soon from his injuries.
○ fleance might attack when macbeth least expects.
○ fleance likely inherited his villainous ways from his father.
○ fleance may become a true threat to macbeth in future ages.

Explanation:

Macbeth refers to Fleance as a "worm" (a small, seemingly harmless creature now) but notes that over time, this "worm" will grow into a venomous threat. Fleance is the son of Banquo, whose line Macbeth was told would inherit the throne, so Macbeth fears that as Fleance matures, he will become a danger to Macbeth's power. The other options are incorrect: there's no mention of injuries, the line focuses on future threat not sudden attack, and it doesn't reference inherited villainy but future danger.

Answer:

Fleance may become a true threat to Macbeth in ages.