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Antony:
But yesterday the word of Caesar might
Have stood against the world; now lies he there,
And none so poor to do him reverence.
O masters! If I were dispos’d to stir
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,
Than I will wrong such honourable men.
But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar,
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,
And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds,
And dip their napkins in his sacred blood;
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,
And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
Unto their issue.
Fourth Citizen:
We’ll hear the will. Read it, Mark Antony.
Citizens:
The will, the will! We will hear Caesar’s will.
Antony:
Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it.
It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;
And being men, hearing the will of Caesar,
It will inflame you, it will make you mad.
’Tis good you know not that you are his heirs;
For if you should, O, what would come of it?
Fourth Citizen:
Read the will! We’ll hear it, Antony;
You shall read us the will, Caesar’s will!
Antony:
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
Whose daggers have stabb’d Caesar; I do fear it.
Fourth Citizen:
They were traitors. Honourable men!
Citizens:
The will! The testament!
Second Citizen:
They were villains, murderers. The will! Read the will!
Antony:
You will compel me then to read the will?
Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar,
And let me show you him that made the will.
Shall I descend? and will you give me leave?
Citizens:
Come down.
Second Citizen:
Descend.
(He comes down.)
Third Citizen:
You shall have leave.
Fourth Citizen:
A ring! Stand round.
First Citizen:
Stand from the hearse, stand from the body.
Second Citizen:
Room for Antony, most noble Antony!