As You Like It: Act 3, Scene 4



Rosalind and Celia
           Enter ROSALIND and CELIA.

      
ROSALIND
  
1   Never talk to me; I will weep.

      CELIA
  
2   Do, I prithee; but yet have the grace to
  3   consider that tears do not become a man.

      ROSALIND
  
4   But have I not cause to weep?

      CELIA
  
5   As good cause as one would desire;
  6   therefore weep.

      ROSALIND
  
7   His very hair is of the dissembling colour.

      CELIA
8-9. Something . . . children: i.e., Orlando's hair is a bit browner than the red hair of Judas Iscariot, but, indeed, his kisses are just as false as the one with which Judas betrayed Christ. —Celia is teasing Rosalind, who has just made the melodramatic statement that Orlando's "very hair is of the dissembling colour," meaning he's a deceiver from head to toe. Celia teases her dear friend Rosalind by appearing to agree with her assertion that Orlando is a terrible deceiver.
11-12. your chestnut was ever the only colour: i.e., Everyone has always agreed that chestnut is the most attractive hair color.
  
8   Something browner than Judas's; marry,
  9   his kisses are Judas's own children.

      ROSALIND
 
10   I' faith, his hair is of a good colour.

      CELIA
 
11   An excellent colour: your chestnut
 12   was ever the only colour.

      ROSALIND
 
13   And his kissing is as full of sanctity
14. holy bread: bread blessed by a priest.
 14   as the touch of holy bread.

      CELIA
15. cast: cast-off. —i.e., Anyone he kissed might think his lips once belonged to Diana, the goddess of chastity.
16. of winter's sisterhood: i.e., devoted to cold and barren chastity. —Celia continues to tease her friend by amplifying the emotion of Rosalind's already melodramatic statements.
 
15   He hath bought a pair of cast lips of Diana:
 16   a nun of winter's sisterhood kisses not more
 17   religiously; the very ice of chastity is in them.

      ROSALIND
 
18   But why did he swear he would come this
 19   morning, and comes not?

      CELIA
 
20   Nay, certainly, there is no truth in him.

      ROSALIND
 
21   Do you think so?

      CELIA
 
22   Yes; I think he is not a pick-purse nor a
23. verity: truthfulness.
 23   horse-stealer, but for his verity in love,
Covered 17th Century Goblet24-25. concave: hollow. covered goblet: —A goblet would have its cover on only when not in use, therefore empty.
 24   I do think him as concave as a covered
 25   goblet or a worm-eaten nut.

      ROSALIND
 
26   Not true in love?

      CELIA
 
27   Yes, when he is in; but I think he is not in.

      ROSALIND
 
28   You have heard him swear downright he
 29   was.

      CELIA
 
30   'Was' is not 'is:' besides, the oath of a lover
31. tapster: bartender.
 31   is no stronger than the word of a tapster;
32. false reckonings: 1) false bar bills 2) people's false or mistaken life stories confirmed by the bartender.
 32   they are both the confirmer of false reckonings.
 33   He attends here in the forest on the duke your
 34   father.

      ROSALIND
 
35   I met the duke yesterday and had much question
36. question: conversation.
 36   with him: he asked me of what parentage I was;
 37   I told him, of as good as he; so he laughed and
38. what: why.
 38   let me go. But what talk we of fathers, when
 39   there is such a man as Orlando?

      CELIA
Jousting40. brave: handsome, excellent, splendid.
42. traverse: awry. —Celia compares Orlando to a jouster . . . 43. puisny: inexperienced. 44. staff: spear.
45. noble goose: aristocratic idiot. 45-46. all's brave that youth mounts / and folly guides: —Celia continues her sarcastic commentary by comparing a person in love to a foolish knight mounted on a wild horse.
 40   O, that's a brave man! he writes brave verses,
 41   speaks brave words, swears brave oaths and
 42   breaks them bravely, quite traverse, athwart
 43   the heart of his lover; as a puisny tilter, that
 44   spurs his horse but on one side, breaks his staff
 45   like a noble goose: but all's brave that youth
 46   mounts and folly guides. Who comes here?

           Enter CORIN.

      
CORIN
 
47   Mistress and master, you have oft inquired
 48   After the shepherd that complain'd of love,
 49   Who you saw sitting by me on the turf,
 50   Praising the proud disdainful shepherdess
 51   That was his mistress.

      CELIA
 
51                                         Well, and what of him?

      CORIN
52. pageant: drama, scene.
 
52   If you will see a pageant truly play'd,
53. pale: —Stereotypically, a true lover is pale because every sigh drains a drop of blood from his heart.
 53   Between the pale complexion of true love
 54   And the red glow of scorn and proud disdain,
55. conduct you: guide you to the place.
 55   Go hence a little and I shall conduct you,
56. If you will mark it: if you want to see it.
 56   If you will mark it.

      ROSALIND
56. remove: go [away from here].
 
56                                     O, come, let us remove:
 57   The sight of lovers feedeth those in love.
 58   Bring us to this sight, and you shall say
59. I'll prove a busy actor in their play: i.e., I'll take a key part in their pageant of love.
 59   I'll prove a busy actor in their play.

           Exeunt.