As You Like It, Act 5, Scene 2

Is’t possible that on so little acquaintance you should like her? That but seeing, you should love her? And loving woo? And wooing, she should grant? And will you persever to enjoy her?

Is it possible that on such slight acquaintance you should like her? That merely by seeing her, you should love her? And loving, court her? And courting, she should say yes? And will you keep on until you have her?

Neither call the giddiness of it in question, the poverty of her, the small acquaintance, my sudden wooing, nor her sudden consenting. But say with me, I love Aliena; say with her that she loves me; consent with both that we may enjoy each other. It shall be to your good, for my father’s house and all the revenue that was old Sir Rowland’s will I estate upon you, and here live and die a shepherd.

Don't question how dizzy-fast it is, or how poor she is, or how briefly we've known each other, or my sudden courting, or her sudden consenting. Just say with me, I love Aliena; say with her that she loves me; agree with us both that we may have each other. It will be to your advantage, because my father's house and all the income that belonged to old Sir Rowland I will settle on you, and I'll live and die here as a shepherd.

You have my consent. Let your wedding be tomorrow. Thither will I invite the Duke and all’s contented followers. Go you and prepare Aliena; for, look you, here comes my Rosalind.

You have my consent. Let your wedding be tomorrow. I'll invite the Duke and all his contented followers to it. You go and get Aliena ready; because, look, here comes my Rosalind.

God save you, brother.

God keep you, brother.

And you, fair sister.

And you, fair sister.

O my dear Orlando, how it grieves me to see thee wear thy heart in a scarf!

Oh my dear Orlando, how it pains me to see you wearing your heart in a sling!

It is my arm.

It's my arm.

I thought thy heart had been wounded with the claws of a lion.

I thought your heart had been wounded by the claws of a lion.

Wounded it is, but with the eyes of a lady.

It is wounded, but by the eyes of a lady.

Did your brother tell you how I counterfeited to swoon when he showed me your handkercher?

Did your brother tell you how I pretended to faint when he showed me your handkerchief?

Ay, and greater wonders than that.

Yes, and greater wonders than that.

O, I know where you are. Nay, ’tis true. There was never anything so sudden but the fight of two rams, and Caesar’s thrasonical brag of “I came, saw and overcame.” For your brother and my sister no sooner met but they looked; no sooner looked but they loved; no sooner loved but they sighed; no sooner sighed but they asked one another the reason; no sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy; and in these degrees have they made pair of stairs to marriage, which they will climb incontinent, or else be incontinent before marriage. They are in the very wrath of love, and they will together. Clubs cannot part them.

Oh, I know what you mean. Well, it's true. Nothing was ever so sudden except a fight between two rams, and Caesar's boastful brag of "I came, I saw, I conquered." For your brother and my sister had no sooner met than they looked; no sooner looked than they loved; no sooner loved than they sighed; no sooner sighed than they asked each other the reason; no sooner knew the reason than they looked for the cure; and by these steps they have built a staircase to marriage, which they will climb immediately, or else be unchaste before marriage. They are in the very fury of love, and they mean to be together. Clubs can't separate them.

They shall be married tomorrow, and I will bid the Duke to the nuptial. But O, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man’s eyes! By so much the more shall I tomorrow be at the height of heart-heaviness, by how much I shall think my brother happy in having what he wishes for.

They shall be married tomorrow, and I'll invite the Duke to the wedding. But oh, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man's eyes! Tomorrow I'll be all the more at the peak of heaviness of heart, the more I think of my brother being happy in having what he wants.

Why, then, tomorrow I cannot serve your turn for Rosalind?

Why, then, tomorrow I can't serve your purpose as Rosalind?

I can live no longer by thinking.

I can't go on living by imagining any longer.

I will weary you then no longer with idle talking. Know of me then—for now I speak to some purpose—that I know you are a gentleman of good conceit. I speak not this that you should bear a good opinion of my knowledge, insomuch I say I know you are. Neither do I labour for a greater esteem than may in some little measure draw a belief from you, to do yourself good, and not to grace me. Believe then, if you please, that I can do strange things. I have, since I was three year old, conversed with a magician, most profound in his art and yet not damnable. If you do love Rosalind so near the heart as your gesture cries it out, when your brother marries Aliena shall you marry her. I know into what straits of fortune she is driven and it is not impossible to me, if it appear not inconvenient to you, to set her before your eyes tomorrow, human as she is, and without any danger.

Then I won't tire you any longer with pointless chatter. Understand this from me, then—for now I'm speaking with a real purpose—that I know you are a gentleman of good understanding. I don't say this so that you'll think well of my judgement, in that I say I know you are. And I'm not trying for any more respect than will, in some small measure, win a bit of belief from you, so as to do you good, and not to bring me credit. Believe then, if you will, that I can do strange things. Since I was three years old I have talked with a magician, deeply learned in his art and yet not damned for it. If you love Rosalind as nearly from the heart as your behaviour proclaims, when your brother marries Aliena you shall marry her. I know what desperate straits of fortune she's been driven to, and it is not impossible for me, if it doesn't seem improper to you, to set her before your eyes tomorrow, as human as she is, and without any danger.

Speak’st thou in sober meanings?

Are you speaking seriously?

By my life, I do, which I tender dearly, though I say I am a magician. Therefore put you in your best array, bid your friends; for if you will be married tomorrow, you shall, and to Rosalind, if you will.

By my life, I am—and I value that life dearly, even though I say I'm a magician. So put on your best clothes and invite your friends; because if you want to be married tomorrow, you shall be, and to Rosalind, if you want.

Look, here comes a lover of mine and a lover of hers.

Look, here comes a lover of mine and a lover of hers.

Youth, you have done me much ungentleness To show the letter that I writ to you.

Young man, you have treated me very unkindly in showing the letter that I wrote to you.

I care not if I have; it is my study To seem despiteful and ungentle to you. You are there followed by a faithful shepherd. Look upon him, love him; he worships you.

I don't care if I have; it is my deliberate aim to seem spiteful and unkind to you. There behind you follows a faithful shepherd. Look at him, love him; he adores you.

Good shepherd, tell this youth what ’tis to love.

Good shepherd, tell this young man what it is to love.

It is to be all made of sighs and tears, And so am I for Phoebe.

It is to be made up entirely of sighs and tears, and that is what I am for Phoebe.

And I for Ganymede.

And I for Ganymede.

And I for Rosalind.

And I for Rosalind.

And I for no woman.

And I for no woman.

It is to be all made of faith and service, And so am I for Phoebe.

It is to be made up entirely of faithfulness and devoted service, and that is what I am for Phoebe.

And I for Ganymede.

And I for Ganymede.

And I for Rosalind.

And I for Rosalind.

And I for no woman.

And I for no woman.

It is to be all made of fantasy, All made of passion, and all made of wishes, All adoration, duty, and observance, All humbleness, all patience, and impatience, All purity, all trial, all observance, And so am I for Phoebe.

It is to be made up entirely of imagination, all made of passion, and all made of wishes, all adoration, devotion, and respectful attendance, all humbleness, all patience, and impatience, all purity, all endurance of tests, all obedience—and that is what I am for Phoebe.

And so am I for Ganymede.

And that is what I am for Ganymede.

And so am I for Rosalind.

And that is what I am for Rosalind.

And so am I for no woman.

And that is what I am for no woman.

[To Rosalind.] If this be so, why blame you me to love you?

[To Rosalind.] If this is so, why do you blame me for loving you?

[To Phoebe.] If this be so, why blame you me to love you?

[To Phoebe.] If this is so, why do you blame me for loving you?

If this be so, why blame you me to love you?

If this is so, why do you blame me for loving you?

Why do you speak too, “Why blame you me to love you?”

Who are you saying it to as well—"Why do you blame me for loving you?"

To her that is not here, nor doth not hear.

To her who is not here, and does not hear.

Pray you, no more of this, ’tis like the howling of Irish wolves against the moon. [to Silvius.] I will help you if I can. [to Phoebe.] I would love you if I could.—Tomorrow meet me all together. [to Phoebe.] I will marry you, if ever I marry woman, and I’ll be married tomorrow. [to Orlando.] I will satisfy you if ever I satisfied man, and you shall be married tomorrow. [to Silvius.] I will content you, if what pleases you contents you, and you shall be married tomorrow. [to Orlando.] As you love Rosalind, meet. [to Silvius.] As you love Phoebe, meet.—And as I love no woman, I’ll meet. So fare you well. I have left you commands.

Please, no more of this; it's like the howling of Irish wolves at the moon. [to Silvius.] I will help you if I can. [to Phoebe.] I would love you if I could.—Tomorrow meet me all together. [to Phoebe.] I will marry you, if I ever marry a woman, and I'll be married tomorrow. [to Orlando.] I will satisfy you, if I ever satisfied a man, and you shall be married tomorrow. [to Silvius.] I will make you content, if what pleases you makes you content, and you shall be married tomorrow. [to Orlando.] As you love Rosalind, be there. [to Silvius.] As you love Phoebe, be there.—And as I love no woman, I'll be there. So goodbye. I have given you your instructions.

I’ll not fail, if I live.

I won't fail to come, if I'm alive.

Nor I.

Nor I.

Nor I.

Nor I.