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Dramatis Personae
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/ Home / Library / Complete Shakespeare / As You Like It / Act II Scene IV
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As You Like It: Act 2 Scene 4
Scene IV The Forest of Arden.
- [Enter ROSALIND for Ganymede, CELIA for Aliena,
- and 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 and to cry like a woman; but I must comfort
- the weaker vessel, as doublet and hose ought to show
- itself courageous to petticoat: 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; yet I should bear no cross if I did bear you,
- for I think you 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 home, I was in a better place: but travellers
- must be content.
- ROSALIND
- Ay, be so, good Touchstone.
- [Enter CORIN and SILVIUS]
- Look you, who comes here; a 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 loved ere now.
- SILVIUS
- No, Corin, being old, thou canst not guess,
- Though in thy youth thou wast as true a lover
- As ever sigh'd upon a midnight pillow:
- But if thy love were ever like to mine--
- As sure I think did never man love so--
- How many actions most ridiculous
- Hast thou been drawn to by thy fantasy?
- CORIN
- Into a thousand that I have forgotten.
- SILVIUS
- O, thou didst then ne'er love so heartily!
- If thou remember'st not the slightest folly
- That ever love did make thee run into,
- Thou hast not loved:
- Or if thou hast not sat as I do now,
- Wearying thy hearer in thy mistress' praise,
- Thou hast not loved:
- Or if thou hast not broke from company
- Abruptly, as my passion now makes me,
- Thou hast not loved.
- O Phebe, Phebe, Phebe!
- [Exit]
- ROSALIND
- Alas, poor shepherd! searching of thy wound,
- I have by hard adventure found mine own.
- TOUCHSTONE
- And I mine. I remember, when I was in love I broke
- my sword upon a stone and bid him take that for
- coming a-night to Jane Smile; and I remember the
- kissing of her batlet and the cow's dugs that her
- pretty chopt hands had milked; and I remember the
- wooing of a peascod instead of her, from whom I took
- two cods and, giving her them again, said with
- weeping tears 'Wear these for my sake.' We that are
- true lovers run into strange capers; but as all is
- mortal in nature, so is all nature in love mortal in folly.
- ROSALIND
- Thou speakest wiser than thou art ware of.
- TOUCHSTONE
- Nay, I shall ne'er be ware of mine own wit till I
- break my shins against it.
- ROSALIND
- Jove, Jove! this shepherd's passion
- 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
- If he for gold will give us any food:
- 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
- Can in this desert place buy entertainment,
- Bring us where we may rest ourselves and feed:
- Here's a young maid with travel much oppress'd
- And faints for succor.
- CORIN
- Fair sir, I pity her
- And wish, for her sake more than for mine own,
- My fortunes were more able to relieve her;
- But I am shepherd to another man
- And do not shear the fleeces that I graze:
- My master is of churlish disposition
- And little recks to find the way to heaven
- By doing deeds of hospitality:
- Besides, his cote, his flocks and bounds of feed
- Are now on sale, and at our sheepcote now,
- By reason of his absence, there is nothing
- That you will feed on; but what is, come see.
- 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,
- That little cares for buying any thing.
- ROSALIND
- I pray thee, if it stand with honesty,
- Buy thou the cottage, pasture and the flock,
- And thou shalt have to pay for it of us.
- CELIA
- And we will mend thy wages. I like this place.
- And willingly could waste my time in it.
- CORIN
- Assuredly the thing is to be sold:
- Go with me: if you like upon report
- The soil, the profit and this kind of life,
- I will your very faithful feeder be
- And buy it with your gold right suddenly.
- [Exeunt]
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