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As You Like It - Act 2, scene 4
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As You Like It - Act 2, scene 4Act 2, scene 4
Scene 4
Synopsis:
Rosalind, Celia, and Touchstone reach the Forest of Arden. Rosalind is in disguise as a boy named Ganymede and Celia as a country girl named Aliena. They overhear a conversation between an old shepherd (Corin) and a lovelorn young shepherd (Silvius). “Ganymede” and “Aliena” persuade Corin to help them buy a cottage.
Enter Rosalind for Ganymede, Celia for Aliena, andClown, alias Touchstone.
ROSALIND
0777 O Jupiter, how ⌜weary⌝ are my spirits!
TOUCHSTONE 0778 I care not for my spirits, if my legs were
0779 not weary.
ROSALIND 0780 I could find in my heart to disgrace my
0781 5 man’s apparel and to cry like a woman, but I must
0782 comfort the weaker vessel, as doublet and hose
0783 ought to show itself courageous to petticoat. Therefore
0784 courage, good Aliena.
CELIA 0785 I pray you bear with me. I cannot go no further.
TOUCHSTONE 0786 10For my part, I had rather bear with you
0787 than bear you. Yet I should bear no cross if I did
0788 bear you, for I think you have no money in your
0789 purse.
ROSALIND 0790 Well, this is the Forest of Arden.
TOUCHSTONE 0791 15Ay, now am I in Arden, the more fool I.
0792 When I was at home I was in a better place, but
0793 travelers must be content.
ROSALIND 0794 Ay, be so, good Touchstone.
Enter Corin and Silvius.
0795 Look you who comes here, a young man and an old
0796 20 in solemn talk.
⌜Rosalind, Celia, and Touchstone step aside and
eavesdrop.⌝
CORIN, ⌜to Silvius⌝
0797 That is the way to make her scorn you still.
SILVIUS
0798 O Corin, that thou knew’st how I do love her!
CORIN
0799 I partly guess, for I have loved ere now.
p.
63
SILVIUS 0800 No, Corin, being old, thou canst not guess,
0801 25 Though in thy youth thou wast as true a lover
0802 As ever sighed upon a midnight pillow.
0803 But if thy love were ever like to mine—
0804 As sure I think did never man love so—
0805 How many actions most ridiculous
0806 30 Hast thou been drawn to by thy fantasy?
CORIN
0807 Into a thousand that I have forgotten.
SILVIUS
0808 O, thou didst then never love so heartily.
0809 If thou rememb’rest not the slightest folly
0810 That ever love did make thee run into,
0811 35 Thou hast not loved.
0812 Or if thou hast not sat as I do now,
0813 Wearing thy hearer in thy mistress’ praise,
0814 Thou hast not loved.
0815 Or if thou hast not broke from company
0816 40 Abruptly, as my passion now makes me,
0817 Thou hast not loved.
0818 O Phoebe, Phoebe, Phoebe!He exits.
ROSALIND
0819 Alas, poor shepherd, searching of ⌜thy wound,⌝
0820 I have by hard adventure found mine own.
TOUCHSTONE 0821 45And I mine. I remember when I was in
0822 love I broke my sword upon a stone and bid him
0823 take that for coming a-night to Jane Smile; and I
0824 remember the kissing of her batler, and the cow’s
0825 dugs that her pretty chopped hands had milked;
0826 50 and I remember the wooing of a peascod instead of
0827 her, from whom I took two cods and, giving her
0828 them again, said with weeping tears “Wear these for
0829 my sake.” We that are true lovers run into strange
0830 capers. But as all is mortal in nature, so is all nature
0831 55 in love mortal in folly.
p.
65
ROSALIND
0832
Thou speak’st wiser than thou art ware of.TOUCHSTONE 0833 Nay, I shall ne’er be ware of mine own
0834 wit till I break my shins against it.
ROSALIND
0835 Jove, Jove, this shepherd’s passion
0836 60 Is much upon my fashion.
TOUCHSTONE 0837 And mine, but it grows something stale
0838 with me.
CELIA 0839 I pray you, one of you question yond man, if he
0840 for gold will give us any food. I faint almost to death.
TOUCHSTONE, ⌜to Corin⌝ 0841 65Holla, you clown!
ROSALIND 0842 Peace, fool. He’s not thy kinsman.
CORIN 0843 Who calls?
TOUCHSTONE 0844 Your betters, sir.
CORIN 0845 Else are they very wretched.
ROSALIND, ⌜to Touchstone⌝
0846 70 Peace, I say. ⌜As Ganymede, to Corin.⌝ Good even to
0847 ⌜you,⌝ friend.
CORIN
0848 And to you, gentle sir, and to you all.
ROSALIND, ⌜as Ganymede⌝
0849 I prithee, shepherd, if that love or gold
0850 Can in this desert place buy entertainment,
0851 75 Bring us where we may rest ourselves and feed.
0852 Here’s a young maid with travel much oppressed,
0853 And faints for succor.
CORIN 0854 Fair sir, I pity her
0855 And wish for her sake more than for mine own
0856 80 My fortunes were more able to relieve her.
0857 But I am shepherd to another man
0858 And do not shear the fleeces that I graze.
0859 My master is of churlish disposition
0860 And little recks to find the way to heaven
0861 85 By doing deeds of hospitality.
0862 Besides, his cote, his flocks, and bounds of feed
0863 Are now on sale, and at our sheepcote now,
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67
0864
By reason of his absence, there is nothing0865 That you will feed on. But what is, come see,
0866 90 And in my voice most welcome shall you be.
ROSALIND, ⌜as Ganymede⌝
0867 What is he that shall buy his flock and pasture?
CORIN
0868 That young swain that you saw here but erewhile,
0869 That little cares for buying anything.
ROSALIND, ⌜as Ganymede⌝
0870 I pray thee, if it stand with honesty,
0871 95 Buy thou the cottage, pasture, and the flock,
0872 And thou shalt have to pay for it of us.
CELIA, ⌜as Aliena⌝
0873 And we will mend thy wages. I like this place,
0874 And willingly could waste my time in it.
CORIN
0875 Assuredly the thing is to be sold.
0876 100 Go with me. If you like upon report
0877 The soil, the profit, and this kind of life,
0878 I will your very faithful feeder be
0879 And buy it with your gold right suddenly.
They exit.