5

Brutus

Words before blows; is it so, countrymen?

Octavius

Not that we love words better, as you do.

Brutus

Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.

Antony

In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words.
Witness the hole you made in Caesar's heart,
Crying 'Long live! Hail, Caesar!'

Cassius

                                                        Antony,
The posture of your blows are yet unknown;
But, for your words, they rob the Hybla bees,
And leave them honeyless.

Antony

Not stingless too?

Brutus

O yes, and soundless too!
For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony,
And very wisely threat before you sting.

Macbeth

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle.
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
[The countryside near Dunsinane Hill. Military drums and flags. Enter several Scottish lords leading armed troops]

Menteith

The English power is near, led on by Malcolm,
His uncle Siward, and the good Macduff.
Revenges burn in them, for their dear causes
Would, to the bleeding and the grim alarm,
Excite the mortified man.

Angus

Caithness

Lennox

Menteith

Caithness

Angus

Menteith

Caithness

Lennox

[Exit, marching]

Caithness

Great Dunsinane he strongly fortifies.
Some say he's mad; others that lesser hate him
Do call it valiant fury. But for certain,
He cannot buckle his distempered cause
Within the belt of rule.

Angus

                                         Now does he feel
His secret murders sticking on his hands;
Now, minutely, revolts upbraid his faith-breach;
Those he commands move only in command,
Nothing in love. Now does he feel his title
Hang loose about him, like a giant's robe
Upon a dwarfish thief.

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