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Macbeth

Act 5, Scene 3

Enter MACBETH, DOCTOR, and attendants	MACBETH, a DOCTOR, and attendants enter.
MACBETH Bring me no more reports. Let them fly all. Till Birnam Wood remove to Dunsinane I cannot taint with fear. What’s the boy Malcolm? Was he not born of woman? The spirits that know All mortal consequences have pronounced me thus: “Fear not, Macbeth. No man that’s born of woman Shall e’er have power upon thee.” Then fly, false thanes, And mingle with the English epicures. The mind I sway by and the heart I bear Shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear.	MACBETH Don’t bring me any more reports. I don’t care if all the thanes desert me. Until Birnam Wood gets up and moves to Dunsinane, I won’t be affected by fear. What’s the boy Malcolm? Wasn’t he born from a woman? The spirits that know the future have told me this: “Don’t be afraid, Macbeth. No man born from a woman will ever defeat you.” So get out of here, disloyal thanes, and join the weak and decadent English! My mind and courage will never falter with doubt or shake with fear.
Enter a SERVANT	A SERVANT enters.
The devil damn thee black, thou cream-faced loon! Where got’st thou that goose look?	May the devil turn you black, you white-faced fool! Why do you look like a frightened goose?
SERVANT There is ten thousand—	SERVANT There are ten thousand—
MACBETH Geese, villain?	MACBETH Geese, you idiot?
SERVANT Soldiers, sir.	SERVANT Soldiers, sir.
MACBETH Go, prick thy face and over-red thy fear, Thou lily-livered boy. What soldiers, patch? Death of thy soul! Those linen cheeks of thine Are counselors to fear. What soldiers, whey-face?	MACBETH Go pinch your cheeks and bring some color back into your face, you cowardly boy. What soldiers, fool? Curse you! That pale face of yours will frighten the others as well. What soldiers, milk-face?
SERVANT The English force, so please you.	SERVANT The English army, sir.
MACBETH Take thy face hence.	MACBETH Get out of my sight.
Exit SERVANT	The SERVANT exits.
Seyton!—I am sick at heart, When I behold—Seyton, I say!—This push Will cheer me ever, or disseat me now. I have lived long enough. My way of life Is fall’n into the sere, the yellow leaf, And that which should accompany old age, As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have, but, in their stead, Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honor, breath Which the poor heart would fain deny and dare not. Seyton!	Seyton!—I’m sick at heart when I see—Seyton, come here!—This battle will either secure my reign forever or else topple me from the throne. I have lived long enough. The course of my life is beginning to wither and fall away, like a yellowing leaf in autumn. The things that should go along with old age, like honor, love, obedience, and loyal friends, I cannot hope to have. Instead, I have passionate but quietly whispered curses, people who honor me with their words but not in their hearts, and lingering life, which my heart would gladly end, though I can’t bring myself to do it. Seyton!
Enter SEYTON	SEYTON enters.
SEYTON What’s your gracious pleasure?	SEYTON What do you want?
MACBETH What news more?	MACBETH Is there more news?
SEYTON All is confirmed, my lord, which was reported.	SEYTON All the rumors have been confirmed.
MACBETH I’ll fight till from my bones my flesh be hacked. Give me my armor.	MACBETH I’ll fight until they hack the flesh off my bones. Give me my armor.
SEYTON ’Tis not needed yet.	SEYTON You don’t need it yet.
MACBETH I’ll put it on. Send out more horses. Skirr the country round. Hang those that talk of fear. Give me mine armor. How does your patient, doctor?	MACBETH I’ll put it on anyway. Send out more cavalry. Scour the whole country and hang anyone spreading fear. Give me my armor. (to the DOCTOR) How is my wife, doctor?
DOCTOR Not so sick, my lord, As she is troubled with thick-coming fancies That keep her from her rest.	DOCTOR She is not sick, my lord, but she is troubled with endless visions that keep her from sleeping.
MACBETH Cure her of that. Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased, Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow, Raze out the written troubles of the brain And with some sweet oblivious antidote Cleanse the stuffed bosom of that perilous stuff Which weighs upon the heart?	MACBETH Cure her of that. Can’t you treat a diseased mind? Take away her memory of sorrow? Use some drug to erase the troubling thoughts from her brain and ease her heart?
DOCTOR Therein the patient Must minister to himself.	DOCTOR For that kind of relief, the patient must heal herself.
MACBETH Throw physic to the dogs; I’ll none of it. Come, put mine armor on. Give me my staff. Seyton, send out.—Doctor, the thanes fly from me. Come, sir, dispatch.—If thou couldst, doctor, cast The water of my land, find her disease, And purge it to a sound and pristine health, I would applaud thee to the very echo, That should applaud again.—Pull ’t off, I say.— What rhubarb, senna, or what purgative drug, Would scour these English hence? Hear’st thou of them?	MACBETH Medicine is for the dogs. I won’t have anything to do with it. (to SEYTON) Come, put my armor on me. Give me my lance. Seyton, send out the soldiers. (to the DOCTOR) Doctor, the thanes are running away from me. (to SEYTON) Come on, sir, hurry. (to the DOCTOR) Can you figure out what’s wrong with my country? If you can diagnose its disease by examining its urine, and bring it back to health, I will praise you to the ends of the Earth, where the sound will echo back so you can hear the applause again.—(to SEYTON) Pull it off, I tell you. (to the DOCTOR) What drug would purge the English from this country? Have you heard of any?
DOCTOR Ay, my good lord. Your royal preparation Makes us hear something.	DOCTOR Yes, my good lord. Your preparation for war sounds like something.
MACBETH Bring it after me. I will not be afraid of death and bane, Till Birnam Forest come to Dunsinane.	MACBETH (to SEYTON) Bring the armor and follow me. I will not be afraid of death and destruction until Birnam forest picks itself up and moves to Dunsinane.
DOCTOR (aside) Were I from Dunsinane away and clear, Profit again should hardly draw me here.	DOCTOR (to himself) I wish I were far away from Dunsinane. You couldn’t pay me to come back here.
Exeunt	They exit.