As You Like It: Act 4, Scene 3
Enter ROSALIND and CELIA. ROSALIND
1-2. And here much Orlando!: i.e., Orlando is not here!
1 How say you now? Is it not past two o'clock? And 2 here much Orlando! CELIA
3. I warrant you: I promise you.
3 I warrant you, with pure love and troubled brain, 4 he hath ta'en his bow and arrows and is gone forth — 5 to sleep. Look who comes here.
Enter SILVIUS. SILVIUS
6 My errand is to you, fair youth; 7 My gentle Phebe bid me give you this: [Hands Rosalind a letter.] 8 I know not the contents; but, as I guess 9 By the stern brow and waspish action 10 Which she did use as she was writing of it, 11 It bears an angry tenor: pardon me: 12 I am but as a guiltless messenger. ROSALIND
13 Patience herself would startle at this letter14. bear this, bear all: i.e., if anyone puts up with this, they will put up with anything.
14 And play the swaggerer; bear this, bear all: 15 She says I am not fair, that I lack manners; 16 She calls me proud, and that she could not love me,17. phoenix: —According to legend, there is only one phoenix in the whole world. 'Od's my will!: i.e., God help me!
17 Were man as rare as phoenix. 'Od's my will! 18 Her love is not the hare that I do hunt: 19 Why writes she so to me? Well, shepherd, well,23. This is a letter of your own device: i.e., you wrote this letter.
20 This is a letter of your own device. SILVIUS
21 No, I protest, I know not the contents: 22 Phebe did write it. ROSALIND
22 Come, come, you are a fool23. turn'd: diverted, brought.
23 And turn'd into the extremity of love.24. hand . . . .hand: —Jokingly, Rosalind uses "hand" to mean both "handwriting" and the hand that wrote the handwriting. 25. freestone-colour'd: brownish-yellow.
24 I saw her hand: she has a leathern hand. 25 A freestone-colour'd hand; I verily did think 26 That her old gloves were on, but 'twas her hands:27. huswife: housewife; also, hussy.
27 She has a huswife's hand; but that's no matter:28. invent: produce, make up.
28 I say she never did invent this letter; 29 This is a man's invention and his hand. SILVIUS
30 Sure, it is hers. ROSALIND
31 Why, 'tis a boisterous and a cruel style. 32 A style for challengers; why, she defies me, 33 Like Turk to Christian: women's gentle brain 34 Could not drop forth such giant-rude invention35. Ethiope: black.
35 Such Ethiope words, blacker in their effect36. countenance : face, physical appearance. —Black is the color of the countenance of the words because they are written in black ink.
36 Than in their countenance. Will you hear the letter? SILVIUS
37 So please you, for I never heard it yet; 38 Yet heard too much of Phebe's cruelty. ROSALIND
39. Phebes me: behaves like Phebe towards me, i.e., addresses me in cruel words. —Silvius has just said that he has "heard too much of Phebe's cruelty."
40. Art thou god to shepherd turn'd: are you a god who has turned into a shepherd.
40. Art thou god to shepherd turn'd: are you a god who has turned into a shepherd.
39 She Phebes me: mark how the tyrant writes. (Read.) 40 "Art thou god to shepherd turn'd, 41 That a maiden's heart hath burn'd?" 42 Can a woman rail thus? SILVIUS
43 Call you this railing? ROSALIND (Read.)44-45. Why . . . heart?: i.e., why did you put aside your godly nature, assume the form of a shepherd, and make war against a woman's heart?
44 "Why, thy godhead laid apart, 45 Warr'st thou with a woman's heart?" 46 Did you ever hear such railing?47. Whiles the eye of man did woo me: i.e., when I was wooed by a mere mortal [that is, Silvius]. 48. vengeance: harm. —Phebe's idea is that although a god has taken the shape of "Ganymede," his godly nature can still be seen in his eyes.
50. eyne: eyes. —This was an archaic word in Shakespeare's time. Phebe is again being romantically poetic.
53. they: Orlando's eyes. in mild aspect: i.e., with loving looks.
54-55. Whiles . . . move!: i.e., When you scolded me, my love for you was awakened, so imagine what a powerful effect you would have if you sincerely requested my love.
58. by him seal up thy mind: i.e., send your decision in a letter to be carried by Silvius.
59. youth and kind: youthful nature.
50. eyne: eyes. —This was an archaic word in Shakespeare's time. Phebe is again being romantically poetic.
53. they: Orlando's eyes. in mild aspect: i.e., with loving looks.
54-55. Whiles . . . move!: i.e., When you scolded me, my love for you was awakened, so imagine what a powerful effect you would have if you sincerely requested my love.
58. by him seal up thy mind: i.e., send your decision in a letter to be carried by Silvius.
59. youth and kind: youthful nature.
47 "Whiles the eye of man did woo me, 48 That could do no vengeance to me." 49 Meaning me a beast. 50 "If the scorn of your bright eyne 51 Have power to raise such love in mine, 52 Alack, in me what strange effect 53 Would they work in mild aspect! 54 Whiles you chid me, I did love; 55 How then might your prayers move! 56 He that brings this love to thee 57 Little knows this love in me: 58 And by him seal up thy mind; 59 Whether that thy youth and kind 60 Will the faithful offer take 61 Of me and all that I can make; 62 Or else by him my love deny, 63 And then I'll study how to die." SILVIUS
64 Call you this chiding? CELIA
65 Alas, poor shepherd! ROSALIND
66 Do you pity him? no, he deserves no pity. Wilt 67 thou love such a woman? What, to make thee an68. instrument: 1) tool; 2) musical instrument. false strains: deceiving melodies. —Phebe has used Silvius' love for her to get him to carry her love-letter to "Ganymede," and she told Silvius that the letter would be "bitter."
68 instrument and play false strains upon thee! not 69 to be endured! Well, go your way to her, for I see 70 love hath made thee a tame snake, and say this to 71 her: that if she love me, I charge her to love 72 thee; if she will not, I will never have her unless 73 thou entreat for her. If you be a true lover, hence, 74 and not a word; for here comes more company. Exit SILVIUS. Enter OLIVER. OLIVER
75 Good morrow, fair ones: pray you, if you know,76. purlieus: cleared land on the outskirts of a forest.
77. sheep-cote: sheep shed. fenced about with olive trees: —Oliver is referring to the house of Rosalind and Celia, as Rosalind described it to Phebe: "If you will know my house, / 'Tis at the tuft of olives here hard by."
78. neighbor bottom: neighboring dell.
79. rank of osiers: row of willows
77. sheep-cote: sheep shed. fenced about with olive trees: —Oliver is referring to the house of Rosalind and Celia, as Rosalind described it to Phebe: "If you will know my house, / 'Tis at the tuft of olives here hard by."
78. neighbor bottom: neighboring dell.
79. rank of osiers: row of willows
76 Where in the purlieus of this forest stands 77 A sheep-cote fenced about with olive trees? CELIA
78 West of this place, down in the neighbour bottom: 79 The rank of osiers by the murmuring stream 80 Left on your right hand brings you to the place. 81 But at this hour the house doth keep itself; 82 There's none within. OLIVER
83 If that an eye may profit by a tongue, 84 Then should I know you by description; 85 Such garments and such years: 'The boy is fair,86. female favor: feminine features. bestows: conducts.
87. ripe: mature, i.e., elder. low: short.
87. ripe: mature, i.e., elder. low: short.
86 Of female favour, and bestows himself 87 Like a ripe sister: the woman low 88 And browner than her brother.' Are not you 89 The owner of the house I did inquire for? CELIA
90 It is no boast, being ask'd, to say we are. OLIVER
91 Orlando doth commend him to you both, 92 And to that youth he calls his Rosalind93. napkin: handkerchief.
93 He sends this bloody napkin. Are you he? ROSALIND
94 I am: what must we understand by this? OLIVER
95 Some of my shame; if you will know of me 96 What man I am, and how, and why, and where97. handkercher: handkerchief.
97 This handkercher was stain'd. CELIA
97 I pray you, tell it. OLIVER
98 When last the young Orlando parted from you 99 He left a promise to return again100 Within an hour, and pacing through the forest,101 Chewing the food of sweet and bitter fancy,102 Lo, what befell! he threw his eye aside,103. what object: what a sight.
103 And mark what object did present itself:104-105. oak . . . high top bald: 
104 Under an oak, whose boughs were moss'd with age105 And high top bald with dry antiquity,106 A wretched ragged man, o'ergrown with hair,107 Lay sleeping on his back: about his neck108 A green and gilded snake had wreathed itself,109 Who with her head nimble in threats approach'd110 The opening of his mouth; but suddenly,111. unlink'd: uncoiled.
111 Seeing Orlando, it unlink'd itself,112. indented: undulating.
112 And with indented glides did slip away113 Into a bush: under which bush's shade114. with udders all drawn dry: —Thus the lioness is shown to be very hungry.
115. couching: i.e., crouching and ready to pounce.
115. couching: i.e., crouching and ready to pounce.
114 A lioness, with udders all drawn dry,115 Lay couching, head on ground, with catlike watch,116 When that the sleeping man should stir; for 'tis117 The royal disposition of that beast118 To prey on nothing that doth seem as dead:119 This seen, Orlando did approach the man120 And found it was his brother, his elder brother. CELIA
121 O, I have heard him speak of that same brother;122. render him: depict him as. unnatural: devoid of natural feeling.
122 And he did render him the most unnatural123 That lived amongst men. OLIVER
123 And well he might so do,124 For well I know he was unnatural. ROSALIND
125. But, to Orlando: i.e., but back to the subject of Orlando.
125 But, to Orlando: did he leave him there,126 Food to the suck'd and hungry lioness? OLIVER
127. purposed so: i.e., made up his mind to do so.127 Twice did he turn his back and purposed so;128. kindness: i.e., natural feeling proper to the kinship of humankind. 129. nature: natural feeling. just occasion: opportunity to take justified revenge. —Adam told Orlando that Oliver had planned "To burn the lodging where you use to lie / And you within it." 131. hurtling: commotion.
128 But kindness, nobler ever than revenge,129 And nature, stronger than his just occasion,130 Made him give battle to the lioness,131 Who quickly fell before him: in which hurtling132 From miserable slumber I awaked. CELIA
133 Are you his brother? ROSALIND
133 Was't you he rescu'd? CELIA
134. contrive: plan, devise ways.
134 Was't you that did so oft contrive to kill him? OLIVER
135-137. I do not shame . . . the thing I am: i.e., since I am so happy with the person I have become, I am not ashamed to tell you what I was.
135 'Twas I; but 'tis not I. — I do not shame136 To tell you what I was, since my conversion137 So sweetly tastes, being the thing I am. ROSALIND
138. for the bloody napkin?: i.e., what about the bloody handkerchief?
138 But, for the bloody napkin? OLIVER
138 By and by.139-141. When . . . desert place: i.e., when we had both shed tears as each of us recounted our stories of what had happened to us since we had last seen one another, as, for example, how I came to be in the forest.
139 When from the first to last betwixt us two140 Tears our recountments had most kindly bathed,141 As how I came into that desert place:--142 In brief, he led me to the gentle duke,143. array: clothes. entertainment: i.e., a seat at the table and food and drink.
143 Who gave me fresh array and entertainment,144 Committing me unto my brother's love;145 Who led me instantly unto his cave,146 There stripp'd himself, and here upon his arm147 The lioness had torn some flesh away,148 Which all this while had bled; and now he fainted149 And cried, in fainting, upon Rosalind.150 Brief, I recover'd him, bound up his wound;150. Brief: in brief. recover'd: revived.
151 And, after some small space, being strong at heart,152 He sent me hither, stranger as I am,153 To tell this story, that you might excuse154 His broken promise, and to give this napkin155 Dyed in his blood unto the shepherd youth156 That he in sport doth call his Rosalind. [ROSALIND faints.] CELIA
157 Why, how now, Ganymede! sweet Ganymede! OLIVER
158 Many will swoon when they do look on blood. CELIA
159 There is more in it. Cousin Ganymede! OLIVER
160 Look, he recovers. ROSALIND
161 I would I were at home. CELIA
161 We'll lead you thither.162 I pray you, will you take him by the arm? OLIVER
163 Be of good cheer, youth. You a man? 164 You lack a man's heart. ROSALIND
165 I do so, I confess it. Ah, sirrah, a body would166 think this was well counterfeited! I pray you, 167 tell your brother how well I counterfeited. 168 Heigh-ho! OLIVER
169 This was not counterfeit: there is too great170-171. a passion of earnest: a genuine faint.
170 testimony in your complexion that it was a 171 passion of earnest. ROSALIND
172 Counterfeit, I assure you. OLIVER
173 Well then, take a good heart and counterfeit to 174 be a man. ROSALIND
175 So I do: but, i' faith, I should have been a woman 176 by right. CELIA
177 Come, you look paler and paler: pray you, draw178 homewards. Good sir, go with us. OLIVER
179-180. I must bear answer back / How you excuse my brother, Rosalind: i.e., I must tell my brother how you have received his excuse for not showing up, (so-called) Rosalind.
179 That will I, for I must bear answer back180 How you excuse my brother, Rosalind. ROSALIND
181 I shall devise something: but, I pray you, commend182 my counterfeiting to him. Will you go? Exeunt.