Safe in a ditch he bides, / With twenty trenched gashes on his head; / The least a death to nature.
Act III, Scene 4
Context
The murderer describes Banquo's corpse to Macbeth, detailing the extensive wounds inflicted to ensure his death.
Analysis
The phrase 'twenty trenched gashes' uses number hyperbole to underscore overkill—literally more violence than death requires. 'Trenched' evokes warfare imagery, as if Banquo's head were a battlefield, which elevates the murder into something epic yet also grotesquely excessive. This surplus of violence reflects Macbeth's need for certainty in a world he no longer controls.
Essay Tip
Support a thesis that Macbeth's reign relies on excessive violence to mask deep insecurity—the hyperbolic brutality here reveals paranoia, not strength.