Chapter: SCENE III.

Dunsinane. A Room in the Castle.

[Enter Macbeth, Doctor, and Attendants.]

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 pronounc'd 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.

[Enter a Servant.]

The devil damn thee black, thou cream-fac'd loon!
Where gott'st thou that goose look?

SERVANT.
There is ten thousand--

MACBETH.
Geese, villain?

SERVANT.
Soldiers, sir.

MACBETH.
Go prick thy face and over-red thy fear,
Thou lily-liver'd boy. What soldiers, patch?
Death of thy soul! those linen cheeks of thine
Are counsellors to fear. What soldiers, whey-face?

SERVANT.
The English force, so please you.

MACBETH.
Take thy face hence.

[Exit Servant.]

Seyton!--I am sick at heart,
When I behold--Seyton, I say!- This push
Will chair me ever or disseat me now.
I have liv'd long enough: my way of life
Is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf;
And that which should accompany old age,
As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends,
I must not look to have; but, in their stead,
Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath,
Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not.
Seyton!--

[Enter Seyton.]

SEYTON.
What's your gracious pleasure?

MACBETH.
What news more?

SEYTON.
All is confirm'd, my lord, which was reported.

MACBETH.
I'll fight till from my bones my flesh be hack'd.
Give me my armour.

SEYTON.
'Tis not needed yet.

MACBETH.
I'll put it on.
Send out more horses, skirr the country round;
Hang those that talk of fear.--Give me mine armour.--
How does your patient, doctor?

DOCTOR.
Not so sick, my lord,
As she is troubled with thick-coming fancies,
That keep her from her rest.

MACBETH.
Cure her of that:
Canst thou not minister to a mind diseas'd;
Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow;
Raze out the written troubles of the brain;
And with some sweet oblivious antidote
Cleanse the stuff'd bosom of that perilous stuff
Which weighs upon the heart?

DOCTOR.
Therein the patient
Must minister to himself.

MACBETH.
Throw physic to the dogs,--I'll none of it.--
Come, put mine armour on; give me my staff:--
Seyton, send out.--Doctor, the Thanes fly from me.--
Come, sir, despatch.--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?

DOCTOR.
Ay, my good lord; your royal preparation
Makes us hear something.

MACBETH.
Bring it after me.--
I will not be afraid of death and bane,
Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane.

[Exeunt all except Doctor.]

DOCTOR.
Were I from Dunsinane away and clear,
Profit again should hardly draw me here.

[Exit.]

 This scene opens in front of the king's castle in England with Malcolm and Macduff discussing the state of affairs brought about by Macbeth in Scotland. It is not a pretty picture, for each day "new sorrows strike heaven on the face." Malcolm wants to find a desolate place and weep for his homeland. Macduff wants to take up arms against Macbeth. At the beginning of their conversation, it is obvious that the two men are distrustful of one another. Macduff senses the worry of the prince and assures him, "I am not treacherous." Malcolm is still not convinced. He questions why Macduff left his wife and child in peril in order to come to England. The prince admits that he is suspicious and concerned for his own safety. Macduff, in frustration, cries out, "Bleed, bleed, poor country." He feels there is no hope for Scotland if he cannot join forces with Malcolm against Macbeth. But since he is not trusted, Macduff feels he has to leave. Malcolm stops Macduff in order to test his trustworthiness. The prince pretends to be an evil person filled with vices, and if compared to Macbeth, Malcolm says, "Black Macbeth will seem pure as snow." Macduff scoffs and says, "not in the legions of horrid hell can come a devil more damned in evils to top Macbeth." Malcolm agrees that the present king is "bloody, avaricious, deceitful, malicious, smacking of every sin that has a name," but he promises that he is worse, more lustful and greedy. Macduff still does not give up on Malcolm, but suggests ways for him to handle his vices. Macduff further believes that surely Malcolm possesses virtues to outweigh the vices. Malcolm, however, claims he has none of the royal graces of "justice, verity, temperance, stableness, perseverance, mercy, devotion, patience, or courage." He further says that if he were king, he would "pour the sweet milk of concord into hell, uproot the universal peace, confound all unity on earth." Macduff, at this news, again bemoans his beloved Scotland. Then he, being taken in by Malcolm's pretense, turns on the prince and says he is not fit to govern Scotland or even to live. He gives up on the fight for his homeland and bids farewell to Malcolm a second time. Once again Malcolm stops Macduff. He praises Macduff's integrity of soul and noble passion for Scotland. He then admits to the trickery he has used to test Macduff's purpose. Malcolm then pledges support and loyalty to Macduff in his attempt to overthrow Macbeth and says, "I put myself to thy direction." He tells Macduff that Siward and 10,000 English soldiers are at their command to aid in the fight. Macduff is struck dumb by this news, confused between the appearance and the reality. When Malcolm questions him about it, Macduff explains his confusion: "Such welcome and unwelcome things at once, 'tis hard to reconcile." A doctor then passes by to say that King Edward is coming. The physician stays only long enough to describe King Edward's power of healing. Malcolm also tells Macduff that this holy king also has a divine gift of prophecy . Then Ross enters the scene, freshly arrived from Scotland, and again Malcolm becomes suspicious. Macduff inquires about the state of affairs in Scotland. Ross explains that nothing has changed, " It's like a grave." When Malcolm asks what the latest grief is, Ross responds, " Each minute teems a new one." When Macduff quizzes him about his wife, Ross at first avoids the news of her murder. But when he hears that Malcolm and Macduff are about to lead an attack on Macbeth, he tells about the king's latest brutality, the "savage slaughter" of Macduff's family. Macduff is overcome with grief at his loss and guilt for his absence. Malcolm encourages him to turn the grief into a fighting spirit against Macbeth, "Be this the whetstone of your sword." Macduff agrees he must get revenge!

