As You Like It by William Shakespeare
Act 2 - Scene 4
The Forest of Arden
(stage directions) : Enter ROSALIND for GANYMEDE, CELIA for ALIENA, and CLOWN alias
(stage directions) : TOUCHSTONE
Rosalind : O Jupiter, how weary are my spirits!
Touchstone : I care not for my spirits, if my legs were not weary.
Rosalind : I could find in my heart to disgrace my man's apparel,
[p]and to cry
like a woman; but I must comfort the weaker vessel, as
[p]doublet and
hose ought to show itself courageous to petticoat;
[p]therefore,
courage, good Aliena.
Celia : I pray you bear with me; I cannot go no further.
Touchstone : For my part, I had rather bear with you than bear you;
[p]yet I should
bear no cross if I did bear you; for I think you
[p]have no money in
your purse.
Rosalind : Well, this is the Forest of Arden.
Touchstone : Ay, now am I in Arden; the more fool I; when I was at
[p]home I was in
a better place; but travellers must be content.
(stage directions) : Enter CORIN and SILVIUS
Rosalind : Ay, be so, good Touchstone. Look you, who comes here, a
[p]young man
and an old in solemn talk.
Corin : That is the way to make her scorn you still.
Silvius : O Corin, that thou knew'st how I do love her!
Corin : I partly guess; for I have lov'd ere now.
Silvius : No, Corin, being old, thou canst not guess,
[p]Though in thy youth
thou wast as true a lover
[p]As ever sigh'd upon a midnight
pillow.
[p]But if thy love were ever like to mine,
[p]As sure I think
did never man love so,
[p]How many actions most ridiculous
[p]Hast
thou been drawn to by thy fantasy?
Corin : Into a thousand that I have forgotten.
Silvius : O, thou didst then never love so heartily!
[p]If thou rememb'rest not
the slightest folly
[p]That ever love did make thee run into,
[p]Thou
hast not lov'd;
[p]Or if thou hast not sat as I do now,
[p]Wearing thy
hearer in thy mistress' praise,
[p]Thou hast not lov'd;
[p]Or if thou
hast not broke from company
[p]Abruptly, as my passion now makes
me,
[p]Thou hast not lov'd.
[p]O Phebe, Phebe, Phebe!
Exit Silvius
Rosalind : Alas, poor shepherd! searching of thy wound,
[p]I have by hard
adventure found mine own.
Touchstone : And I mine. I remember, when I was in love, I broke my
[p]sword upon a
stone, and bid him take that for coming a-night to
[p]Jane Smile; and
I remember the kissing of her batler, and the
[p]cow's dugs that her
pretty chapt hands had milk'd; and I remember
[p]the wooing of peascod
instead of her; from whom I took two cods,
[p]and giving her them
again, said with weeping tears 'Wear these
[p]for my sake.' We that
are true lovers run into strange capers;
[p]but as all is mortal in
nature, so is all nature in love mortal
[p]in folly.
Rosalind : Thou speak'st wiser than thou art ware of.
Touchstone : Nay, I shall ne'er be ware of mine own wit till I break
[p]my shins
against it.
Rosalind : Jove, Jove! this shepherd's passion
[p]Is much upon my fashion.
Touchstone : And mine; but it grows something stale with me.
Celia : I pray you, one of you question yond man
[p]If he for gold will give
us any food;
[p]I faint almost to death.
Touchstone : Holla, you clown!
Rosalind : Peace, fool; he's not thy kinsman.
Corin : Who calls?
Touchstone : Your betters, sir.
Corin : Else are they very wretched.
Rosalind : Peace, I say. Good even to you, friend.
Corin : And to you, gentle sir, and to you all.
Rosalind : I prithee, shepherd, if that love or gold
[p]Can in this desert place
buy entertainment,
[p]Bring us where we may rest ourselves and
feed.
[p]Here's a young maid with travel much oppress'd,
[p]And faints
for succour.
Corin : Fair sir, I pity her,
[p]And wish, for her sake more than for mine
own,
[p]My fortunes were more able to relieve her;
[p]But I am
shepherd to another man,
[p]And do not shear the fleeces that I
graze.
[p]My master is of churlish disposition,
[p]And little recks to
find the way to heaven
[p]By doing deeds of hospitality.
[p]Besides,
his cote, his flocks, and bounds of feed,
[p]Are now on sale; and at
our sheepcote now,
[p]By reason of his absence, there is
nothing
[p]That you will feed on; but what is, come see,
[p]And in my
voice most welcome shall you be.
Rosalind : What is he that shall buy his flock and pasture?
Corin : That young swain that you saw here but erewhile,
[p]That little cares
for buying any thing.
Rosalind : I pray thee, if it stand with honesty,
[p]Buy thou the cottage,
pasture, and the flock,
[p]And thou shalt have to pay for it of us.
Celia : And we will mend thy wages. I like this place,
[p]And willingly could
waste my time in it.
Corin : Assuredly the thing is to be sold.
[p]Go with me; if you like upon
report
[p]The soil, the profit, and this kind of life,
[p]I will your
very faithful feeder be,
[p]And buy it with your gold right suddenly.
Exeunt
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Next: Act 2 - Scene 5
