Page:Julius Caesar (1919) Yale.djvu/71

Julius Cæsar, III. ii  

Fourth Ple. Now mark him; he begins again to speak.

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 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 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— 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, And, dying, mention it within their wills, Bequeathing it as a rich legacy Unto their issue.

Fourth Ple. We'll hear the will: read it, Mark Antony.

All. The will, the will! we will hear Cæsar's will!

Ant. Have patience, gentle friends; I must not read it: It is not meet you know how Cæsar lov'd you. 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.  124, 125 word world: his bare assertion would have carried his point against the world 126 And there are none so humble as to show him any respect 136 commons: common people 139 napkins: handkerchiefs 