Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane. [Exeunt all except Doctor. Doct. Were I from Dunsinane away and clear, Profit again should hardly draw me here. [Exit. SCENE IV. Country near Dunsinane: a wood in view. Enter, with drum and colours, MALCOLM, old SIWARD and young SIWARD, MACDUFF, MENTEITH, CAITHNESS, ANGUS, LENNOX, Ross, and Soldiers, marching. Mal. Cousins, I hope the days are near at hand That chambers will be safe.. Ment. We doubt it nothing. The wood of Birnam. Siw. What wood is this before us? Mal. Let every soldier hew him down a bough, Siw. We learn no other but the confident tyrant Keeps still in Dunsinane, and will endure Our setting down before 't. Mal. 'Tis his main hope: For where there is advantage to be ta'en, Both more and less have given him the revolt ;(113) Macd. Attend the true event, and put we on Industrious soldiership. Siw. Let our just censures The time approaches That will with due decision make us know What we shall say we have, and what we owe. [Exeunt, marching. SCENE V. Dunsinane. Within the castle. Enter, with drum and colours, MACBETH, SEYTON, and Soldiers. Macb. Hang out our banners on the outward walls; Were they not forc'd(114) with those that should be ours, [A cry of women within. What is that noise? Sey. It is the cry of women, my good lord. Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir As life were in 't: I have supp'd full with horrors; [Exit,(115) Re-enter SEYTON. Wherefore was that cry? Sey. The queen, my lord, is dead. Macb. She should have died hereafter; There would have been a time for such a word.- And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Enter a Messenger. Thou com'st to use thy tongue; thy story quickly. Mess. Gracious my lord, I should report that which I say I saw, Macb. Well, say, sir.(117) Mess. As I did stand my watch upon the hill, I look'd toward Birnam, and anon, methought, The wood began to move. Mess. Let me endure your wrath, if't be not so: Within this three mile may you see it coming; I say, a moving grove. Macb. If thou speak'st false, Upon the next tree shalt(118) thou hang alive, To doubt th' equivocation of the fiend, That lies like truth: "Fear not, till Birnam wood There is nor flying hence nor tarrying here. I gin to be a-weary of the sun, And wish th' estate o' the world were now undone.- SCENE VI. The same. A plain before the castle. [Exeunt. Enter, with drum and colours, MALCOLM, old SIWARd, Macduff, &c., and their Army with boughs. Mal. Now near enough; your leafy screens throw down, And show like those you are.-You, worthy uncle, Shall, with my cousin, your right-noble son, Lead our first battle: worthy Macduff and we According to our order. Siw. Fare you well. Do we but find the tyrant's power to-night, Macd. Make all our trumpets speak; give them all breath, Those clamorous harbingers of blood and death. [Exeunt. SCENE VII. The same. Another part of the plain. Alarums. Enter MACBETH. Macb. They've tied me to a stake; I cannot fly, But, bear-like, I must fight the course.-What's he That was not born of woman? Such a one Am I to fear, or none. Enter young SIWARD. Yo. Siw. What is thy name? Macb. Thou'lt be afraid to hear it. Yo. Siw. No; though thou call'st thyself a hotter name Than any is in hell. Macb. My name's Macbeth. Yo. Siw. The devil himself could not pronounce a title More hateful to mine ear. Macb. No, nor more fearful. Yo. Siw. Thou liest, abhorrèd tyrant; with my sword I'll prove the lie thou speak'st. Macb. [They fight, and young Siward is slain. But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn, Alarums. Enter MACDUFF. [Exit. Macd. That way the noise is.-Tyrant, show thy face! If thou be'st slain and with no stroke of mine, My wife and children's ghosts will haunt me still. I cannot strike at wretched kerns, whose arms Are hir'd to bear their staves: either thou, Macbeth, Or else my sword, with an unbatter'd edge, I sheathe again undeeded. There thou shouldst be; [Exit. Alarums. Enter MALCOLM and old SIWARD. Siw. This way, my lord;-the castle's gently render'd: The tyrant's people on both sides do fight; The noble thanes do bravely in the war; The day almost itself professes yours, And little is to do. SCENE VIII. The same. Another part of the plain. Enter MACBETH. Macb. Why should I play the Roman fool, and die Macd. Enter MACDUff. Turn, hell-hound, turn! Macb. Of all men else I have avoided thee: But get thee back; my soul is too much charg'd With blood of thine already. Macd. I have no words, My voice is in my sword; thou bloodier villain Than terms can give thee out! Macb. [They fight. Thou losest labour: As easy mayst thou the intrenchant air With thy keen sword impress, as make me bleed: Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests; I bear a charmed life, which must not yield To one of woman born. And let the angel whom thou still hast serv'd Macb. Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, And be these juggling fiends no more believ'd, |