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Macbeth - Act 5, scene 4
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Last updated: Fri, Jul 31, 2015
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Macbeth - Act 5, scene 4Act 5, scene 4
Scene 4
Synopsis:
The rebel Scottish forces have joined Malcolm’s army at Birnam Wood. Malcolm orders each soldier to cut down and carry a bough from the Wood so as to conceal their numbers from Macbeth.
Drum and Colors. Enter Malcolm, Siward, Macduff,Siward’s son, Menteith, Caithness, Angus, and Soldiers,
marching.
MALCOLM
2233 Cousins, I hope the days are near at hand
2234 That chambers will be safe.
p.
175
MENTEITH
2235
We doubt it nothing.SIWARD
2236 What wood is this before us?
MENTEITH 2237 5 The Wood of Birnam.
MALCOLM
2238 Let every soldier hew him down a bough
2239 And bear ’t before him. Thereby shall we shadow
2240 The numbers of our host and make discovery
2241 Err in report of us.
SOLDIER 2242 10 It shall be done.
SIWARD
2243 We learn no other but the confident tyrant
2244 Keeps still in Dunsinane and will endure
2245 Our setting down before ’t.
MALCOLM 2246 ’Tis his main hope;
2247 15 For, where there is advantage to be given,
2248 Both more and less have given him the revolt,
2249 And none serve with him but constrainèd things
2250 Whose hearts are absent too.
MACDUFF 2251 Let our just censures
2252 20 Attend the true event, and put we on
2253 Industrious soldiership.
SIWARD 2254 The time approaches
2255 That will with due decision make us know
2256 What we shall say we have and what we owe.
2257 25 Thoughts speculative their unsure hopes relate,
2258 But certain issue strokes must arbitrate;
2259 Towards which, advance the war.
They exit marching.