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Macbeth: Act 5 Scene 2

Scene II The country near Dunsinane.

[Drum and colours. Enter MENTEITH, CAITHNESS, ANGUS,

LENNOX, and Soldiers]

MENTEITH

The English power is near, led on by Malcolm,

His uncle Siward and the good Macduff:

Revenges burn in them; for their dear causes

Would to the bleeding and the grim alarm

Excite the mortified man.

ANGUS

Near Birnam wood

Shall we well meet them; that way are they coming.

CAITHNESS

Who knows if Donalbain be with his brother?

LENNOX

For certain, sir, he is not: I have a file

Of all the gentry: there is Siward's son,

And many unrough youths that even now

Protest their first of manhood.

MENTEITH

What does the tyrant?

CAITHNESS

Great Dunsinane he strongly fortifies:

Some say he's mad; others that lesser hate him

Do call it valiant fury: but, for certain,

He cannot buckle his distemper'd cause

Within the belt of rule.

ANGUS

Now does he feel

His secret murders sticking on his hands;

Now minutely revolts upbraid his faith-breach;

Those he commands move only in command,

Nothing in love: now does he feel his title

Hang loose about him, like a giant's robe

Upon a dwarfish thief.

MENTEITH

Who then shall blame

His pester'd senses to recoil and start,

When all that is within him does condemn

Itself for being there?

CAITHNESS

Well, march we on,

To give obedience where 'tis truly owed:

Meet we the medicine of the sickly weal,

And with him pour we in our country's purge

Each drop of us.

LENNOX

Or so much as it needs,

To dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds.

Make we our march towards Birnam.

[Exeunt, marching]

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