What images do Duncan's words conjure up in Act I, scene iv of Macbeth?

This is really the only scene that gives insight into
Duncan's nature.  He does have lines upon his arrival at Macbeth's castle, but these
words are part of a very conventionally polite exchange and can't really be said to
reveal much that is personal about Duncan's nature.  Act I, scene iv, however, gives
insight into Duncan's perspective.

At the top of the scene,
when he is told of how the rebellious Thane of Cawdor died, he simply
says:

There's
no art

To find the mind's construction in the
face.

He was a gentleman on whom I
built

An absolute
trust.

The image here is of
attempting to understand the mind of a man by his outward actions.  Duncan believes that
this is not possible and admits that he mistakenly "built/An absolute trust" on the now
dead Thane of Cawdor.  This suggests that Duncan is not the best judge of a man's
character.

This is the exact moment at which Macbeth enters
the scene, having just been told by the witches that he will be king.  The rest of the
scene, then, is one in which Duncan's lines are full of dramatic irony, since the
audience has the information of the prophesy that Duncan does
not.

Following are some of the images from Duncan's lines
that stand out in this scene.

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. . .thou art so far
before

That swiftest wing of recompense is
slow

To overtake
thee.

This line comments on
Macbeth's speed and suggests that paying him back for all he has done in support of
Duncan is like a bird ("swiftest wing") that cannot catch up to
Macbeth.

I
have begun to plant thee and will labour

To make thee
grow.

This line suggests that
Duncan sees Macbeth as his protegee, and like a good father-figure or gardener, he will
tend Macbeth's development to see him arrive at his full
fruition.

. .
.he is full so valiant,

And in his commendations I am
fed.

It is a banquet to
me.

These words, again, refer
to Macbeth.  Duncan compares the excellent qualities possessed by Macbeth to food that,
rather than feeding Macbeth, feed him.  He alludes to how many qualities by referring to
their sum as "a banquet."

For more on Duncan and this
scene, please follow the links below.