ACT 5
[Drum and colours. Enter MENTEITH, CAITHNESS, ANGUS, LENNOX, and Soldiers]
MENTEITH
The English power is near, led on by Malcolm,
The English army’s near, led on by Malcolm,
His uncle Siward and the good Macduff:
His uncle Siward and the good Macduff.
Revenges burn in them; for their dear causes
They’re burning for revenge, and their strong motives
Would to the bleeding and the grim alarm
Would draw a wounded, bloodied man to action
Excite the mortified man.
To fight a man to death.
ANGUS
Near Birnam wood
Near Birnam Wood
Shall we well meet them; that way are they coming.
We’ll meet them; that is where they are all headed.
CAITHNESS
Who knows if Donalbain be with his brother?
Who knows if Donalbain is with his brother?
LENNOX
For certain, sir, he is not: I have a file
It’s certain, sir, he isn’t. I’ve a list
Of all the gentry: there is Siward's son,
Of all enlisted gentry. Siward’s son’s there,
And many unrough youths that even now
And many smooth-faced youths for whom this will be
Protest their first of manhood.
Their first tasks as a man.
MENTEITH
What does the tyrant?
What’s Macbeth doing?
CAITHNESS
Great Dunsinane he strongly fortifies:
He fortifies his castle at Great Dunsinane.
Some say he's mad; others that lesser hate him
Some say he’s mad; others that hate him less
Do call it valiant fury: but, for certain,
Say it’s courageous anger. But, for certain,
He cannot buckle his distempered cause
He can’t contain his anger, like he can’t fit
Within the belt of rule.
The belt around his waist.
ANGUS
Now does he feel
He is aware now
His secret murders sticking on his hands;
He can’t escape the consequence of murder;
Now minutely revolts upbraid his faith-breach;
Countless revolts berate his breach of faith;
Those he commands move only in command,
His soldiers only act because he tells them,
Nothing in love: now does he feel his title
They don’t do it for love. He feels his title
Hang loose about him, like a giant's robe
Is slipping from him, like a giant’s robe
Upon a dwarfish thief.
Slips off a looting dwarf.
MENTEITH
Who then shall blame
Well, who can blame
His pestered senses to recoil and start,
His agitation, making him all jumpy,
When all that is within him does condemn
When it is caused by things that he condemns
Itself for being there?
That he has done himself?
CAITHNESS
Well, march we on,
Well, let’s march on,
To give obedience where 'tis truly owed:
And follow orders from those that have earned it.
Meet we the medicine of the sickly weal,
Let’s meet the men who’ll mend our sickly state,
And with him pour we in our country's purge
And join to cure our country, pouring in it
Each drop of us.
Each drop of blood we have.
LENNOX
Or so much as it needs,
Or what it needs
To dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds.
To make the Scottish flowers kill the weeds.
Make we our march towards Birnam.
Let’s now march on to Birnam.
[Exeunt, marching]
