ACT 5
[Enter MACBETH]
MACBETH
Why should I play the Roman fool, and die
Why should I die of suicide, like Brutus,
On mine own sword? Whiles I see lives, the gashes
On my own sword? Whilst others live, the gashes
Do better upon them.
Are better being on others.
[Enter MACDUFF]
MACDUFF
Turn, hell-hound, turn!
This way, hell-hound!
MACBETH
Of all men else I have avoided thee:
Of all men, I’ve avoided you the most:
But get thee back; my soul is too much charged
But, go away; my soul is overburdened
With blood of thine already.
With blood of yours already.
MACDUFF
I have no words:
I’ve no words:
My voice is in my sword: thou bloodier villain
My sword will do the talking; you’re so evil,
Than terms can give thee out!
No words can quite describe you!
[They fight]
MACBETH
Thou losest labour:
You waste effort:
As easy mayst thou the intrenchant air
It’s easier for you to stab the air
With thy keen sword impress as make me bleed:
With your impressive sword than make me bleed.
Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests;
Go strike your sword on someone you can harm;
I bear a charmed life, which must not yield,
I’m lucky for my life cannot be taken
To one of woman born.
By one born of a woman.
MACDUFF
Despair thy charm;
Trash the spell,
And let the angel whom thou still hast served
And let those witches whom you’re serving still
Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb
Tell you, Macduff was, from his mother’s womb,
Untimely ripped.
Ripped prematurely.
MACBETH
Accursed be that tongue that tells me so,
I curse the man that tells me that,
For it hath cowed my better part of man!
For it’s destroyed the courage left in me!
And be these juggling fiends no more believed,
And I do not believe those witches now
That palter with us in a double sense;
As they prevaricate with double meanings
That keep the word of promise to our ear,
So we believe the promises they make
And break it to our hope. I'll not fight with thee.
Until they break our hopes. I will not fight you.
MACDUFF
Then yield thee, coward,
Surrender then, you coward,
And live to be the show and gaze o' the time:
And live so we can put you in a sideshow:
We'll have thee, as our rarer monsters are,
We’ll have you next to rare exotic beasts,
Painted on a pole, and underwrit,
Tied to a pole, and written underneath:
'Here may you see the tyrant.'
“Here you can see a tyrant.”
MACBETH
I will not yield,
I won’t give in,
To kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet,
To kiss the ground before young Malcolm’s feet,
And to be baited with the rabble's curse.
And have an angry crowd attempt to bait me.
Though Birnam wood be come to Dunsinane,
Though Birnam Wood has come to Dunsinane,
And thou opposed, being of no woman born,
And you, my foe, weren’t from a woman born,
Yet I will try the last. Before my body
Yet I’ll fight to the death. In front of me
I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff,
I’ll hold my battle shield. Come on, Macduff,
And damned be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!'
And damned be him who cries out, “That’s enough!”
[Exeunt, fighting. Alarums]
[Retreat. Flourish. Enter, with drum and colours, MALCOLM, SIWARD, ROSS, the other Thanes, and Soldiers]
MALCOLM
I would the friends we miss were safe arrived.
I wish the friends we’re missing got here safely.
SIWARD
Some must go off: and yet, by these I see,
Some had to die, and yet, from what I see,
So great a day as this is cheaply bought.
This great day was achieved with little loss.
MALCOLM
Macduff is missing, and your noble son.
Macduff is missing, and your noble son.
ROSS
Your son, my lord, has paid a soldier's debt:
Your son has paid the price of being a soldier;
He only lived but till he was a man;
He lived until he merely was a man;
The which no sooner had his prowess confirmed
No sooner had he proved himself a man
In the unshrinking station where he fought,
By fighting without fear, standing his ground,
But like a man he died.
Than he died like a man.
SIWARD
Then he is dead?
Then he is dead?
ROSS
Ay, and brought off the field: your cause of sorrow
He is, and carried from the field. Your sorrow
Must not be measured by his worth, for then
Must not match what he’s worth, for if it did,
It hath no end.
It wouldn’t end.
SIWARD
Had he his hurts before?
Was he stabbed from the front?
ROSS
Ay, on the front.
Yes, from the front.
SIWARD
Why then, God's soldier be he!
Then he is God’s own soldier!
Had I as many sons as I have hairs,
If I’d as many sons as I have hairs,
I would not wish them to a fairer death:
None could I wish more dignity in death.
And so, his knell is knolled.
And so, his death knell tolls.
MALCOLM
He's worth more sorrow,
He’s worth more grieving
And that I'll spend for him.
And I’ll do that for him.
SIWARD
He's worth no more
He’s worth no more,
They say he parted well, and paid his score:
He died a hero, settling a score.
And so, God be with him! Here comes newer comfort.
So, God be with him! Here comes better news.
[Re-enter MACDUFF, with MACBETH's head]
MACDUFF
Hail, king! For so thou art: behold, where stands
Hail, king! For king you are now. Look what’s here,
The usurper's cursed head: the time is free:
The tyrant’s bloody head. We all are free now.
I see thee compassed with thy kingdom's pearl,
I see that Scotland’s noblemen surround you,
That speak my salutation in their minds;
Repeating my salute within their minds.
Whose voices I desire aloud with mine:
I’d like to hear their voices joining mine:
Hail, King of Scotland!
Hail, King of Scotland!
ALL
HAIL, KING OF SCOTLAND!
Hail, King of Scotland!
[Flourish]
MALCOLM
We shall not spend a large expense of time
I will not spend a large amount of time
Before we reckon with your several loves,
Before assessing all your love and service
And make us even with you. My thanes and kinsmen,
And making sure we’re even. My thanes and kinsmen,
Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland
From now on you’ll be earls, the first in Scotland
In such an honour named. What's more to do,
To hold these honoured titles. And there’s more,
Which would be planted newly with the time,
Which I’ll begin at this time of our triumph,
As calling home our exiled friends abroad
By calling home our exiled friends abroad
That fled the snares of watchful tyranny;
That fled, escaping from the tyranny;
Producing forth the cruel ministers
And seeking justice for the cruel agents
Of this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen,
Of this dead butcher and his wretched queen,
Who, as 'tis thought, by self and violent hands
Who, it’s assumed, by her own violent hand
Took off her life; this, and what needful else
Took her own life; this, and whatever else
That calls upon us, by the grace of Grace,
I’m called upon to do through God’s own grace,
We will perform in measure, time and place:
I’ll do it right, in scope, in time and place.
So, thanks to all at once and to each one,
So, thanks to everyone within our nation,
Whom we invite to see us crowned at Scone.
Please come to Scone to see my coronation.
[Flourish. Exeunt]
–END–
