Julius Caesar (Folger Shakespeare Library)

by William Shakespeare

Have stood against the world. Now lies he there, 131 And none so poor to do him reverence. 132 O masters, if I were disposed to stir 133 Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, 134 I should do Brutus wrong and Cassius wrong, 135 Who, you all know, are honorable men. 136 I will not do them wrong. I rather choose 137 To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, 138 Than I will wrong such honorable men. 139 But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar. 140 I found it in his closet. ’Tis his will. 141 Let but the commons hear this testament, 142 Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read, 143 And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds 144 And dip their napkins in his sacred blood— 145 Yea, beg a hair of him for memory 146 And, dying, mention it within their wills, 147 Bequeathing it as a rich legacy 148 Unto their issue. 149 FOURTH PLEBEIAN We’ll hear the will. Read