ACT V
SCENE I
Ireland.
Ross, Lennox, Angus, various Nobles and Soldiers.
Enter Fleance.
ROSS Our good Fleance. News has already spread
of the tyrant’s latest treachery.
Accept our most profound remorse, which comes
with the might of our good men to help
exact revenge.
FLEANCE Revenge? Too light a word.
It would have been a fitting term after
the murder of my dear father. But with the death
of my love, revenge shall learn new meaning.
LENNOX Surely, though, you will spare the people
of Scotland?
FLEANCE I will spare none close to Malcolm.
All else shall live.
ANGUS Well spoken. First among
those are Seyton, Siward—
FLEANCE First are those
three murderers.
ROSS Be heedful that our army,
e’en swelled with your brave ranks, remains a fraction
still of Scotland’s force.
FLEANCE ’Tis of small consequence.
Fear has fled me since the death of my Fiona.
Caution and temperance have vanished with the loss
of all I loved. I’ll happily gallop straight
into the fiercest hordes of the warring world.
ROSS News of Malcolm’s malady has spread.
Perhaps his soldiers, deeming his cause unjust,
will part and join our ranks.
FLEANCE If not, our ranks will do.
Better to die defying a tyrant than
to live in fear of one.
LENNOX Look! The heavens
light a celestial streak.
ANGUS A sign. It marks
the fall of a king.
FLEANCE And the rise
of another. To the ships!
Exeunt.
SCENE II
Dunsinane. Ramparts.
Enter two guards.