As You Like It: Act 4, Scene 1 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 4, Scene 1 of As You Like It from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Rosalind as Ganymede, and Celia as Aliena, and Jaques. JAQUES I prithee, pretty youth, let me be better acquainted with thee. ROSALIND, as Ganymede They say you are a melancholy fellow. JAQUES I am so. I do love it better than laughing. 5 ROSALIND, as Ganymede Those that are in extremity of either are abominable fellows and betray themselves to every modern censure worse than drunkards. JAQUES Why, ’tis good to be sad and say nothing. 10 ROSALIND, as Ganymede Why then, ’tis good to be a post. JAQUES I have neither the scholar’s melancholy, which is emulation; nor the musician’s, which is fantastical; nor the courtier’s, which is proud; nor the 15 soldier’s, which is ambitious; nor the lawyer’s, which is politic; nor the lady’s, which is nice; nor the lover’s, which is all these; but it is a melancholy of mine own, compounded of many simples, extracted from many objects, and indeed the sundry 20 contemplation of my travels, in which my often rumination wraps me in a most humorous sadness. ROSALIND, as Ganymede A traveller. By my faith, you have great reason to be sad. I fear you have sold your own lands to see other men’s. Then to have 25 seen much and to have nothing is to have rich eyes and poor hands. JAQUES Yes, I have gained my experience. ROSALIND, as Ganymede And your experience makes you sad. I had rather have a fool to make me merry 30 than experience to make me sad—and to travel for it too.	Rosalind/Ganymede chats with Jaques about his melancholy. Jaques thinks that a solid approach to life is to be sad and silent, and Rosalind/Ganymede claims he might as well be a fencepost. Jaques then details different types of melancholy and declares that his comes from traveling. Rosalind makes fun of him, naturally.
ORLANDO Good day and happiness, dear Rosalind. JAQUES Nay then, God be wi’ you, an you talk in blank verse. 35 ROSALIND, as Ganymede Farewell, Monsieur Traveller. Look you lisp and wear strange suits, disable all the benefits of your own country, be out of love with your nativity, and almost chide God for making you that countenance you are, or I will scarce think you 40 have swam in a gondola. Jaques exits. Why, how now, Orlando, where have you been all this while? You a lover? An you serve me such another trick, never come in my sight more. ORLANDO My fair Rosalind, I come within an hour of 45 my promise. ROSALIND, as Ganymede Break an hour’s promise in love? He that will divide a minute into a thousand parts and break but a part of the thousand part of a minute in the affairs of love, it may be said of him 50 that Cupid hath clapped him o’ th’ shoulder, but I’ll warrant him heart-whole. ORLANDO Pardon me, dear Rosalind. ROSALIND, as Ganymede Nay, an you be so tardy, come no more in my sight. I had as lief be wooed of 55 a snail. ORLANDO Of a snail? ROSALIND, as Ganymede Ay, of a snail, for though he comes slowly, he carries his house on his head—a better jointure, I think, than you make a woman. 60 Besides, he brings his destiny with him. ORLANDO What’s that? ROSALIND, as Ganymede Why, horns, which such as you are fain to be beholding to your wives for. But he comes armed in his fortune and prevents the 65 slander of his wife. ORLANDO Virtue is no hornmaker, and my Rosalind is virtuous. ROSALIND, as Ganymede And I am your Rosalind. CELIA, as Aliena It pleases him to call you so, but he 70 hath a Rosalind of a better leer than you. ROSALIND, as Ganymede, to Orlando Come, woo me, woo me, for now I am in a holiday humor, and like enough to consent. What would you say to me now an I were your very, very Rosalind? 75 ORLANDO I would kiss before I spoke. ROSALIND, as Ganymede Nay, you were better speak first, and when you were gravelled for lack of matter, you might take occasion to kiss. Very good orators, when they are out, they will spit; and for 80 lovers lacking—God warn us—matter, the cleanliest shift is to kiss. ORLANDO How if the kiss be denied? ROSALIND, as Ganymede Then she puts you to entreaty, and there begins new matter. 85 ORLANDO Who could be out, being before his beloved mistress? ROSALIND, as Ganymede Marry, that should you if I were your mistress, or I should think my honesty ranker than my wit. 90 ORLANDO What, of my suit? ROSALIND, as Ganymede Not out of your apparel, and yet out of your suit. Am not I your Rosalind? ORLANDO I take some joy to say you are because I would be talking of her. 95 ROSALIND, as Ganymede Well, in her person I say I will not have you. ORLANDO Then, in mine own person I die.	The philosophizing between Rosalind/Ganymede and Jaques gets cut short when Orlando shows up—about an hour late. Rosalind/Ganymede is rather temperamental, first upset at Orlando for being late, then in the mood to be loved and chatted up. Orlando says he would start the conversation with a kiss, if Ganymede were really his lover, but Rosalind/Ganymede says it's wiser to start with conversation and save the kiss for when he runs out of things to say. They do a little verbal sparring, and then Rosalind (as Ganymede as Rosalind) says she won't have him. Orlando says if that's the case then he'll die.
ROSALIND, as Ganymede No, faith, die by attorney. The poor world is almost six thousand years old, 100 and in all this time there was not any man died in his own person, videlicet, in a love cause. Troilus had his brains dashed out with a Grecian club, yet he did what he could to die before, and he is one of the patterns of love. Leander, he would have lived 105 many a fair year though Hero had turned nun, if it had not been for a hot midsummer night, for, good youth, he went but forth to wash him in the Hellespont and, being taken with the cramp, was drowned; and the foolish chroniclers of that age 110 found it was Hero of Sestos. But these are all lies. Men have died from time to time and worms have eaten them, but not for love. ORLANDO I would not have my right Rosalind of this mind, for I protest her frown might kill me. 115 ROSALIND, as Ganymede By this hand, it will not kill a fly. But come; now I will be your Rosalind in a more coming-on disposition, and ask me what you will, I will grant it. ORLANDO Then love me, Rosalind. 120 ROSALIND, as Ganymede Yes, faith, will I, Fridays and Saturdays and all. ORLANDO And wilt thou have me? ROSALIND, as Ganymede Ay, and twenty such. ORLANDO What sayest thou? 125 ROSALIND, as Ganymede Are you not good? ORLANDO I hope so. ROSALIND, as Ganymede Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing?—Come, sister, you shall be the priest and marry us.—Give me your hand, 130 Orlando.—What do you say, sister? ORLANDO, to Celia Pray thee marry us. CELIA, as Aliena I cannot say the words. ROSALIND, as Ganymede You must begin “Will you, Orlando—” 135 CELIA, as Aliena Go to.—Will you, Orlando, have to wife this Rosalind? ORLANDO I will. ROSALIND, as Ganymede Ay, but when? ORLANDO Why now, as fast as she can marry us. 140 ROSALIND, as Ganymede Then you must say “I take thee, Rosalind, for wife.” ORLANDO I take thee, Rosalind, for wife. ROSALIND, as Ganymede I might ask you for your commission, but I do take thee, Orlando, for my 145 husband. There’s a girl goes before the priest, and certainly a woman’s thought runs before her actions. ORLANDO So do all thoughts. They are winged. ROSALIND, as Ganymede Now tell me how long you 150 would have her after you have possessed her? ORLANDO Forever and a day. ROSALIND, as Ganymede Say “a day” without the “ever.” No, no, Orlando, men are April when they woo, December when they wed. Maids are May 155 when they are maids, but the sky changes when they are wives. I will be more jealous of thee than a Barbary cock-pigeon over his hen, more clamorous than a parrot against rain, more newfangled than an ape, more giddy in my desires than a monkey. I 160 will weep for nothing, like Diana in the fountain, and I will do that when you are disposed to be merry. I will laugh like a hyena, and that when thou art inclined to sleep. ORLANDO But will my Rosalind do so? 165 ROSALIND, as Ganymede By my life, she will do as I do. ORLANDO O, but she is wise. ROSALIND, as Ganymede Or else she could not have the wit to do this. The wiser, the waywarder. Make 170 the doors upon a woman’s wit, and it will out at the casement. Shut that, and ’twill out at the keyhole. Stop that, ’twill fly with the smoke out at the chimney. ORLANDO A man that had a wife with such a wit, he 175 might say “Wit, whither wilt?” ROSALIND, as Ganymede Nay, you might keep that check for it till you met your wife’s wit going to your neighbor’s bed. ORLANDO And what wit could wit have to excuse that? 180 ROSALIND, as Ganymede Marry, to say she came to seek you there. You shall never take her without her answer unless you take her without her tongue. O, that woman that cannot make her fault her husband’s occasion, let her never nurse her child 185 herself, for she will breed it like a fool. ORLANDO For these two hours, Rosalind, I will leave thee. ROSALIND, as Ganymede Alas, dear love, I cannot lack thee two hours. 190 ORLANDO I must attend the Duke at dinner. By two o’clock I will be with thee again. ROSALIND, as Ganymede Ay, go your ways, go your ways. I knew what you would prove. My friends told me as much, and I thought no less. That flattering 195 tongue of yours won me. ’Tis but one cast away, and so, come, death. Two o’clock is your hour? ORLANDO Ay, sweet Rosalind. ROSALIND, as Ganymede By my troth, and in good earnest, and so God mend me, and by all pretty 200 oaths that are not dangerous, if you break one jot of your promise or come one minute behind your hour, I will think you the most pathetical break-promise, and the most hollow lover, and the most unworthy of her you call Rosalind that may be 205 chosen out of the gross band of the unfaithful. Therefore beware my censure, and keep your promise. ORLANDO With no less religion than if thou wert indeed my Rosalind. So, adieu. 210 ROSALIND, as Ganymede Well, time is the old justice that examines all such offenders, and let time try. Adieu. Orlando exits.	Rosalind/Ganymede wisely points out that men die from a lot of things, but not from love. This bantering ends with Rosalind/Ganymede suggesting that, in the spirit of pretend-wooing, they should have a pretend wedding. Celia/Aliena can play priest and marry the couple. Rosalind/Ganymede and Orlando get fake-married and Orlando declares that, if he could really marry Rosalind, he'd love her forever. Rosalind/Ganymede wryly points out that after a man marries a woman, he quickly loses interest in her. After some more of this kind of talk, Orlando says he must leave for two hours to attend Duke Senior at dinner. He promises not to be a minute late on his return and runs off.
CELIA You have simply misused our sex in your love-prate. We must have your doublet and hose plucked 215 over your head and show the world what the bird hath done to her own nest. ROSALIND O coz, coz, coz, my pretty little coz, that thou didst know how many fathom deep I am in love. But it cannot be sounded; my affection hath an 220 unknown bottom, like the Bay of Portugal. CELIA Or rather bottomless, that as fast as you pour affection in, it runs out. ROSALIND No, that same wicked bastard of Venus, that was begot of thought, conceived of spleen, and born 225 of madness, that blind rascally boy that abuses everyone’s eyes because his own are out, let him be judge how deep I am in love. I’ll tell thee, Aliena, I cannot be out of the sight of Orlando. I’ll go find a shadow and sigh till he come. 230 CELIA And I’ll sleep. They exit.	Celia berates Rosalind for representing women so poorly in her little charade, but Rosalind is on cloud nine. She tells Celia she's so in love that the depth of her love is deeper than the Bay of Portugal. What's more, she can't stand being away from Orlando. She's going to go sit in the shade and sigh—yes, seriously: sit in the shade and sigh—until he returns. Great, Celia says. While you're doing that, I'll take a nap.

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Rosalind as Ganymede, and Celia as Aliena,
and Jaques.

JAQUES I prithee, pretty youth, let me be better
acquainted with thee.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede They say you are a melancholy
fellow.

JAQUES I am so. I do love it better than laughing. 5

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Those that are in extremity
of either are abominable fellows and betray
themselves to every modern censure worse than
drunkards.

JAQUES Why, ’tis good to be sad and say nothing. 10

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Why then, ’tis good to be a
post.

JAQUES I have neither the scholar’s melancholy, which
is emulation; nor the musician’s, which is fantastical;
nor the courtier’s, which is proud; nor the 15
soldier’s, which is ambitious; nor the lawyer’s,
which is politic; nor the lady’s, which is nice; nor
the lover’s, which is all these; but it is a melancholy
of mine own, compounded of many simples, extracted
from many objects, and indeed the sundry 20
contemplation of my travels, in which my often
rumination wraps me in a most humorous sadness.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede A traveller. By my faith, you
have great reason to be sad. I fear you have sold
your own lands to see other men’s. Then to have 25
seen much and to have nothing is to have rich eyes
and poor hands.

JAQUES Yes, I have gained my experience.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede And your experience makes
you sad. I had rather have a fool to make me merry 30
than experience to make me sad—and to travel for
it too.

Rosalind/Ganymede chats with Jaques about his melancholy. Jaques thinks that a solid approach to life is to be sad and silent, and Rosalind/Ganymede claims he might as well be a fencepost.

Jaques then details different types of melancholy and declares that his comes from traveling.

Rosalind makes fun of him, naturally.

ORLANDO
Good day and happiness, dear Rosalind.

JAQUES Nay then, God be wi’ you, an you talk in blank
verse. 35

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Farewell, Monsieur Traveller.
Look you lisp and wear strange suits, disable all
the benefits of your own country, be out of love with
your nativity, and almost chide God for making you
that countenance you are, or I will scarce think you 40
have swam in a gondola.

Jaques exits.

Why, how now, Orlando, where have you been all
this while? You a lover? An you serve me such
another trick, never come in my sight more.

ORLANDO My fair Rosalind, I come within an hour of 45
my promise.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Break an hour’s promise in
love? He that will divide a minute into a thousand
parts and break but a part of the thousand part of a
minute in the affairs of love, it may be said of him 50
that Cupid hath clapped him o’ th’ shoulder, but I’ll
warrant him heart-whole.

ORLANDO Pardon me, dear Rosalind.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Nay, an you be so tardy,
come no more in my sight. I had as lief be wooed of 55
a snail.

ORLANDO Of a snail?

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Ay, of a snail, for though he
comes slowly, he carries his house on his head—a
better jointure, I think, than you make a woman. 60
Besides, he brings his destiny with him.

ORLANDO What’s that?

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Why, horns, which such as
you are fain to be beholding to your wives for. But
he comes armed in his fortune and prevents the 65
slander of his wife.

ORLANDO Virtue is no hornmaker, and my Rosalind is
virtuous.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede And I am your Rosalind.

CELIA, as Aliena It pleases him to call you so, but he 70
hath a Rosalind of a better leer than you.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede, to Orlando Come, woo me,
woo me, for now I am in a holiday humor, and like
enough to consent. What would you say to me now
an I were your very, very Rosalind? 75

ORLANDO I would kiss before I spoke.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Nay, you were better speak
first, and when you were gravelled for lack of
matter, you might take occasion to kiss. Very good
orators, when they are out, they will spit; and for 80
lovers lacking—God warn us—matter, the cleanliest
shift is to kiss.

ORLANDO How if the kiss be denied?

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Then she puts you to entreaty,
and there begins new matter. 85

ORLANDO Who could be out, being before his beloved
mistress?

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Marry, that should you if I
were your mistress, or I should think my honesty
ranker than my wit. 90

ORLANDO What, of my suit?

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Not out of your apparel, and
yet out of your suit. Am not I your Rosalind?

ORLANDO I take some joy to say you are because I
would be talking of her. 95

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Well, in her person I say I
will not have you.

ORLANDO Then, in mine own person I die.

The philosophizing between Rosalind/Ganymede and Jaques gets cut short when Orlando shows up—about an hour late.

Rosalind/Ganymede is rather temperamental, first upset at Orlando for being late, then in the mood to be loved and chatted up.

Orlando says he would start the conversation with a kiss, if Ganymede were really his lover, but Rosalind/Ganymede says it's wiser to start with conversation and save the kiss for when he runs out of things to say.

They do a little verbal sparring, and then Rosalind (as Ganymede as Rosalind) says she won't have him.

Orlando says if that's the case then he'll die.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede No, faith, die by attorney.
The poor world is almost six thousand years old, 100
and in all this time there was not any man died in
his own person, videlicet, in a love cause. Troilus
had his brains dashed out with a Grecian club, yet
he did what he could to die before, and he is one of
the patterns of love. Leander, he would have lived 105
many a fair year though Hero had turned nun, if it
had not been for a hot midsummer night, for, good
youth, he went but forth to wash him in the Hellespont
and, being taken with the cramp, was
drowned; and the foolish chroniclers of that age 110
found it was Hero of Sestos. But these are all lies.
Men have died from time to time and worms have
eaten them, but not for love.

ORLANDO I would not have my right Rosalind of this
mind, for I protest her frown might kill me. 115

ROSALIND, as Ganymede By this hand, it will not kill a
fly. But come; now I will be your Rosalind in a more
coming-on disposition, and ask me what you will, I
will grant it.

ORLANDO Then love me, Rosalind. 120

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Yes, faith, will I, Fridays and
Saturdays and all.

ORLANDO And wilt thou have me?

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Ay, and twenty such.

ORLANDO What sayest thou? 125

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Are you not good?

ORLANDO I hope so.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Why then, can one desire
too much of a good thing?—Come, sister, you shall
be the priest and marry us.—Give me your hand, 130
Orlando.—What do you say, sister?

ORLANDO, to Celia Pray thee marry us.

CELIA, as Aliena I cannot say the words.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede You must begin “Will you,
Orlando—” 135

CELIA, as Aliena Go to.—Will you, Orlando, have to
wife this Rosalind?

ORLANDO I will.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Ay, but when?

ORLANDO Why now, as fast as she can marry us. 140

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Then you must say “I take
thee, Rosalind, for wife.”

ORLANDO I take thee, Rosalind, for wife.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede I might ask you for your
commission, but I do take thee, Orlando, for my 145
husband. There’s a girl goes before the priest, and
certainly a woman’s thought runs before her
actions.

ORLANDO So do all thoughts. They are winged.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Now tell me how long you 150
would have her after you have possessed her?

ORLANDO Forever and a day.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Say “a day” without the
“ever.” No, no, Orlando, men are April when they
woo, December when they wed. Maids are May 155
when they are maids, but the sky changes when
they are wives. I will be more jealous of thee than a
Barbary cock-pigeon over his hen, more clamorous
than a parrot against rain, more newfangled than
an ape, more giddy in my desires than a monkey. I 160
will weep for nothing, like Diana in the fountain,
and I will do that when you are disposed to be
merry. I will laugh like a hyena, and that when thou
art inclined to sleep.

ORLANDO But will my Rosalind do so? 165

ROSALIND, as Ganymede By my life, she will do as I
do.

ORLANDO O, but she is wise.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Or else she could not have
the wit to do this. The wiser, the waywarder. Make 170
the doors upon a woman’s wit, and it will out at the
casement. Shut that, and ’twill out at the keyhole.
Stop that, ’twill fly with the smoke out at the
chimney.

ORLANDO A man that had a wife with such a wit, he 175
might say “Wit, whither wilt?”

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Nay, you might keep that
check for it till you met your wife’s wit going to
your neighbor’s bed.

ORLANDO And what wit could wit have to excuse that? 180

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Marry, to say she came to
seek you there. You shall never take her without her
answer unless you take her without her tongue. O,
that woman that cannot make her fault her husband’s
occasion, let her never nurse her child 185
herself, for she will breed it like a fool.

ORLANDO For these two hours, Rosalind, I will leave
thee.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Alas, dear love, I cannot lack
thee two hours. 190

ORLANDO I must attend the Duke at dinner. By two
o’clock I will be with thee again.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Ay, go your ways, go your
ways. I knew what you would prove. My friends told
me as much, and I thought no less. That flattering 195
tongue of yours won me. ’Tis but one cast away, and
so, come, death. Two o’clock is your hour?

ORLANDO Ay, sweet Rosalind.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede By my troth, and in good
earnest, and so God mend me, and by all pretty 200
oaths that are not dangerous, if you break one jot of
your promise or come one minute behind your
hour, I will think you the most pathetical break-promise,
and the most hollow lover, and the most
unworthy of her you call Rosalind that may be 205
chosen out of the gross band of the unfaithful.
Therefore beware my censure, and keep your
promise.

ORLANDO With no less religion than if thou wert indeed
my Rosalind. So, adieu. 210

ROSALIND, as Ganymede Well, time is the old justice
that examines all such offenders, and let time try.
Adieu.

Orlando exits.

Rosalind/Ganymede wisely points out that men die from a lot of things, but not from love.

This bantering ends with Rosalind/Ganymede suggesting that, in the spirit of pretend-wooing, they should have a pretend wedding. Celia/Aliena can play priest and marry the couple.

Rosalind/Ganymede and Orlando get fake-married and Orlando declares that, if he could really marry Rosalind, he'd love her forever.

Rosalind/Ganymede wryly points out that after a man marries a woman, he quickly loses interest in her.

After some more of this kind of talk, Orlando says he must leave for two hours to attend Duke Senior at dinner. He promises not to be a minute late on his return and runs off.

CELIA You have simply misused our sex in your love-prate.
We must have your doublet and hose plucked 215
over your head and show the world what the bird
hath done to her own nest.

ROSALIND O coz, coz, coz, my pretty little coz, that thou
didst know how many fathom deep I am in love. But
it cannot be sounded; my affection hath an 220
unknown bottom, like the Bay of Portugal.

CELIA Or rather bottomless, that as fast as you pour
affection in, it runs out.

ROSALIND No, that same wicked bastard of Venus, that
was begot of thought, conceived of spleen, and born 225
of madness, that blind rascally boy that abuses
everyone’s eyes because his own are out, let him be
judge how deep I am in love. I’ll tell thee, Aliena, I
cannot be out of the sight of Orlando. I’ll go find a
shadow and sigh till he come. 230

CELIA And I’ll sleep.

They exit.

Celia berates Rosalind for representing women so poorly in her little charade, but Rosalind is on cloud nine.

She tells Celia she's so in love that the depth of her love is deeper than the Bay of Portugal. What's more, she can't stand being away from Orlando. She's going to go sit in the shade and sigh—yes, seriously: sit in the shade and sigh—until he returns.

Great, Celia says. While you're doing that, I'll take a nap.

As You Like It: Act 4, Scene 1 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 4, Scene 1 of As You Like It from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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