As You Like It: Act 2, Scene 4 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 2, Scene 4 of As You Like It from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Rosalind for Ganymede, Celia for Aliena, and Clown, alias 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 5 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 10 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. 15 When I was at home I was in a better place, but travelers 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. 20 Rosalind, Celia, and Touchstone step aside and eavesdrop.	Rosalind (Ganymede), Celia (Aliena), and Touchstone have been wandering around in the Forest of Arden and they're all exhausted. Rosalind makes a joke about not wanting to "cry like a woman." Since she's wearing man-pants, she'll try to be courageous. Two shepherds, Corin and Silvius wander in, deep in conversation. The ladies and Touchstone hide so they can listen in.
CORIN, to Silvius 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 25 As ever sighed 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? 30 CORIN Into a thousand that I have forgotten. SILVIUS O, thou didst then never love so heartily. If thou rememb’rest not the slightest folly That ever love did make thee run into, Thou hast not loved. 35 Or if thou hast not sat as I do now, Wearing 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, 40 Thou hast not loved. O Phoebe, Phoebe, Phoebe! He exits.	Corin, an old man, is counseling the young man, Silvius, on love. Silvius is madly infatuated with a woman named Phoebe and, like many people madly in love, Silvius has 1) no sense, and 2) no chance of hooking up with his beloved. He's also very melodramatic. Silvius is even more lovesick than our good friend Romeo Montague, and he exits calling out his love's name to prove it.
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 45 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 batler, and the cow’s dugs that her pretty chopped hands had milked; and I remember the wooing of a peascod instead of 50 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. 55 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 my shins against it. ROSALIND Jove, Jove, this shepherd’s passion Is much upon my fashion. 60 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.	Rosalind says she can relate to lovestruck Silvius and Touchstone declares that he, too, was once madly in love. Her name was Jane Smile, a milkmaid with chapped hands (from milking so many cows). Touchstone declares that love makes people foolish, but being foolish and in love is also what makes us a human. Celia breaks up the chatter by pointing out that, while all of this is very nice, she is kind of on the verge of starving to death.
TOUCHSTONE, to Corin Holla, you clown! 65 ROSALIND Peace, fool. He’s not thy kinsman. CORIN Who calls? TOUCHSTONE Your betters, sir. CORIN Else are they very wretched. ROSALIND, to Touchstone Peace, I say. As Ganymede, to Corin. Good even to 70 you, friend. CORIN And to you, gentle sir, and to you all. ROSALIND, as GanymedeI prithee, shepherd, if that love or gold Can in this desert place buy entertainment, Bring us where we may rest ourselves and feed. 75 Here’s a young maid with travel much oppressed, 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. 80 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. 85 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. 90 ROSALIND, as GanymedeWhat is he that shall buy his flock and pasture? CORIN That young swain that you saw here but erewhile, That little cares for buying anything. ROSALIND, as Ganymede I pray thee, if it stand with honesty, Buy thou the cottage, pasture, and the flock, 95 And thou shalt have to pay for it of us. CELIA, as Aliena 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 100 The soil, the profit, and this kind of life, I will your very faithful feeder be And buy it with your gold right suddenly. They exit.	Touchstone calls out to Corin to see if he has any food, but Rosalind (as Ganymede) intercedes and talks to Corin herself. Thank goodness old Corin is such a nice guy. Even though he's poor and his master is a cheapskate, he'll do what he can. Corin says his master is selling the property where Corin tends his flock. Silvius is supposed to buy the property, but is too distracted by Phoebe to make the purchase. Rosalind/Ganymede says she'll buy cottage, pasture, flock, and all. Celia/Aliena, ever-thoughtful, says they will increase Corin's pay, and they'll all live happily together.

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Rosalind for Ganymede, Celia for Aliena, and
Clown, alias 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 5
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 10
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. 15
When I was at home I was in a better place, but
travelers 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. 20

Rosalind, Celia, and Touchstone step aside and
eavesdrop.

Rosalind (Ganymede), Celia (Aliena), and Touchstone have been wandering around in the Forest of Arden and they're all exhausted.

Rosalind makes a joke about not wanting to "cry like a woman." Since she's wearing man-pants, she'll try to be courageous.

Two shepherds, Corin and Silvius wander in, deep in conversation. The ladies and Touchstone hide so they can listen in.

CORIN, to Silvius
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 25
As ever sighed 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? 30

CORIN
Into a thousand that I have forgotten.

SILVIUS
O, thou didst then never love so heartily.
If thou rememb’rest not the slightest folly
That ever love did make thee run into,
Thou hast not loved. 35
Or if thou hast not sat as I do now,
Wearing 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, 40
Thou hast not loved.
O Phoebe, Phoebe, Phoebe!

He exits.

Corin, an old man, is counseling the young man, Silvius, on love.

Silvius is madly infatuated with a woman named Phoebe and, like many people madly in love, Silvius has 1) no sense, and 2) no chance of hooking up with his beloved. He's also very melodramatic.

Silvius is even more lovesick than our good friend Romeo Montague, and he exits calling out his love's name to prove it.

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 45
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 batler, and the cow’s
dugs that her pretty chopped hands had milked;
and I remember the wooing of a peascod instead of 50
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. 55

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 my shins against it.

ROSALIND
Jove, Jove, this shepherd’s passion
Is much upon my fashion. 60

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.

Rosalind says she can relate to lovestruck Silvius and Touchstone declares that he, too, was once madly in love. Her name was Jane Smile, a milkmaid with chapped hands (from milking so many cows).

Touchstone declares that love makes people foolish, but being foolish and in love is also what makes us a human.

Celia breaks up the chatter by pointing out that, while all of this is very nice, she is kind of on the verge of starving to death.

TOUCHSTONE, to Corin Holla, you clown! 65

ROSALIND Peace, fool. He’s not thy kinsman.

CORIN Who calls?

TOUCHSTONE Your betters, sir.

CORIN Else are they very wretched.

ROSALIND, to Touchstone
Peace, I say. As Ganymede, to Corin. Good even to 70
you, friend.

CORIN
And to you, gentle sir, and to you all.

ROSALIND, as GanymedeI prithee, shepherd, if that love or gold
Can in this desert place buy entertainment,
Bring us where we may rest ourselves and feed. 75
Here’s a young maid with travel much oppressed,
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. 80
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. 85
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. 90

ROSALIND, as GanymedeWhat is he that shall buy his flock and pasture?

CORIN
That young swain that you saw here but erewhile,
That little cares for buying anything.

ROSALIND, as Ganymede
I pray thee, if it stand with honesty,
Buy thou the cottage, pasture, and the flock, 95
And thou shalt have to pay for it of us.

CELIA, as Aliena
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 100
The soil, the profit, and this kind of life,
I will your very faithful feeder be
And buy it with your gold right suddenly.

They exit.

Touchstone calls out to Corin to see if he has any food, but Rosalind (as Ganymede) intercedes and talks to Corin herself.

Thank goodness old Corin is such a nice guy. Even though he's poor and his master is a cheapskate, he'll do what he can.

Corin says his master is selling the property where Corin tends his flock. Silvius is supposed to buy the property, but is too distracted by Phoebe to make the purchase.

Rosalind/Ganymede says she'll buy cottage, pasture, flock, and all. Celia/Aliena, ever-thoughtful, says they will increase Corin's pay, and they'll all live happily together.

As You Like It: Act 2, Scene 4 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 2, Scene 4 of As You Like It from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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