Fourth Cit. Now mark him, he begins again to speak.[3314]
Ant. But yesterday the word of Cæsar might
Have stood against the world: now lies he there,
And none so poor to do him reverence.
O masters, if I were disposed to stir 120
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
I should do Brutus wrong and Cassius wrong,
Who, you all know, are honourable men:
I will not do them wrong; I rather choose
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, 125
Than I will wrong such honourable men.
But here's a parchment with the seal of Cæsar;
I found it in his closet; 'tis his will:
Let but the commons hear this testament—
Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read— 130
And they would go and kiss dead Cæsar's wounds
And dip their napkins in his sacred blood,
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,[3315]
And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it as a rich legacy 135
Unto their issue.
Fourth Cit. We'll hear the will: read it, Mark Antony.
All. The will, the will! we will hear Cæsar's will.[3294]
Ant. Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it;
It is not meet you know how Cæsar loved you. 140
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;
And, being men, hearing the will of Cæsar,
It will inflame you, it will make you mad:[3316]
'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs;
For if you should, O, what would come of it! 145
Fourth Cit. Read the will; we'll hear it, Antony;[3317][3318]
You shall read us the will, Cæsar's will.[3318][3319]
Ant. Will you be patient? will you stay awhile?
I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it:
I fear I wrong the honourable men 150
Whose daggers have stabb'd Cæsar; I do fear it.
Fourth Cit. They were traitors: honourable men![3320]
All. The will! the testament![3294][3320]
Sec. Cit. They were villains, murderers: the will! read[3320]
the will. 155