Notes to As You Like It, Act 5, Scene 4



Note on the notes:


4. fear they hope, and know they fear: i.e., fear that they are only hoping for the best, and know that they fear the worst.

5. whiles our compact is urg'd: while our agreement is put forward [for review and confirmation].

8. had I: even if I had. —In the real life of Shakespeare's time, a man who had kingdoms to give with his daughter would want to give them to a future son-in-law who was equally wealthy, but in this As You Like It world the fact that Orlando has nothing is fine with Rosalind's father.

18. I have promised to make all this matter even: I have promised to clear the way, in order that all of this can happen.

25. make these doubts all even: i.e., make these seeming impossibilities come true.

26. do remember: am reminded (of).

27. lively: lifelike.  touches: aspects, details.  favour: appearance.

32. desperate: dangerous [because magical].

34. Obscured: hidden.  the circle of this forest: —Perhaps this is an allusion to the magic circle within which a magician was supposedly safe during his dealing with spirits.

35. toward: on the way.

43-44. put me to my purgation: challenge me to clear myself (of the charge of lying).

44. measure: a slow, stately dance.

46. undone three tailors: bankrupted three tailors. —In Shakespeare's time both men and women dressed as extravagantly as they could, and the English upper classes long considered paying tradesmen as an optional act of generosity.

47. and like to have fought one: and almost had to fight one.

48. ta'en up: settled.

54. God 'ild you, sir; I desire you of the like: i.e., thank you sir; I wish you the same. —I believe this is addressed to Jaques, and that Touchstone is thanking Jaques for asking the Duke to "like" him. If this is true, then "I desire you of the same" can be a bit sarcastic because Touchstone would consider himself naturally more likeable than Jaques.

56. copulatives: i.e., people about to start coupling (having sex) as soon as they are married.

57. as marriage binds and blood breaks: i.e., as marriage binds people to their wedding vows and as passion makes them break those vows.  a poor virgin: i.e., Audrey.

59. humour: whim.

60. honesty: chastity.

62. swift and sententious: quick-witted and pithy.

63-64. According to the fool's bolt, sir, and such dulcet diseases: i.e., It's like the proverb says, "A fool's bolt [arrow] is soon shot," meaning that wittiness is the sweet disease of fools, so that a fool can't keep himself from making witty remarks. —The Duke has just praised Touchstone for being "swift and sententious," and this is Touchstone's answer.

67-68. bear your body more seeming, Audrey: —Touchstone is not easily embarrassed, so Audrey must be doing some impossibly awkward lolling about.

69. dislike: find fault with.

74. Modest: moderate.

75-76. disabled my judgment: i.e., said I didn't know what I was talking about.

80. Countercheck: counter-rebuff, contradiction.

81. Circumstantial: indirect.

87. measur'd swords: i.e., only prepared for duelling. —One of the preliminaries of a duel was measuring of the duelists' swords, to make sure that one wasn't longer than the other.

88. nominate: name over.

90. by the book: according to established rules. —Touchstone is making fun of such books as Vincent Saviolo's Practice of the Rapier and Dagger (1594-5), the second part of which is entitled "Honor and Honorable Quarrels," with a section headed "Of the Manner and Diversity of Lies."

99. take up: settle.

102. swore brothers: i.e., swore eternal brotherhood.

106. stalking-horse: a deceptive cover used by a hunter to get within shooting distance of his quarry.



107. the presentation of that: i.e., the appearance of being a fool.

[stage direction]. Hymen: god of marriage.  Still music: soft music.

108. mirth: joy.

109-110. When earthly things made even / Atone together: i.e., when human affairs are smoothed out and everyone sings the same tune.

130. If truth holds true contents: i.e., if truth is true.

131. cross: disagreement.

133. accord: assent.

134. to: for.

135. sure together: securely joined.

138. Feed: satisfy.  questioning: mutual conversation.

139. That reason wonder may diminish: so that rational explanation may diminish amazement.

141. Juno's: Juno was the goddess of marriage.

144. High: solemn.

148. Even daughter, welcome, in no less degree: i.e., as much as a daughter, welcome.

150. Thy faith my fancy to thee doth combine: i.e., your faithful devotion to me now makes me unite with you in love.

156. Address'd: made ready, called up. power: army.

157. In his own conduct: under his personal command.

161. question: conversation.

166. engage: pledge.

167. Thou offer'st fairly: you bring handsome gifts. —The gifts are named in the next two lines. To Oliver, the gift is the lands that Duke Frederick seized when Oliver failed to deliver Orlando to him. To Orlando the gift is "A land itself at large, a potent dukedom." This is the restored dukedom of Duke Senior, which Orlando, as husband of the Duke's only child (Rosalind), will inherit after the Duke's death.

170. let us do those ends: bring to a conclusion those purposes; i.e., perform the weddings of the four couples.

171. begot: conceived.

172. every: every one.

173. shrewd: sorely difficult.

175. states: ranks.

176. new-fall'n: newly acquired.

178. music: band of musicians.

179. to the measures fall: dance to the music.

180. by your patience: with your indulgence.

182. pompous: i.e., full of pomp and circumstance.

184. convertites: converts.

185. matter: sound sense.

189. great allies: i.e., powerful relations. —Oliver is brother to Orlando, who is now the next heir (by the right of Rosalind) to the dukedom. Oliver's previous vow to live and die a shepherd in the forest with "Aliena" has been forgotten in this play of As You Like It.

190. long: i.e., long awaited and desired.

195. What you would have: i.e., whatever you want of me before I leave.