Internet Shakespeare Editions

About this text

  • Title: As You Like It (Modern)
  • Editor: David Bevington
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-369-4

    Copyright David Bevington. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: David Bevington
    Peer Reviewed

    As You Like It (Modern)

    Enter Amiens, Jaques, and others.
    [A table is set out.]
    890Song
    Amiens
    [Sings]
    Under the greenwood tree
    Who loves to lie with me,
    And turn his merry note
    Unto the sweet bird's throat,
    895Come hither, come hither, come hither.
    Here shall he see
    No enemy
    But winter and rough weather.
    Jaques
    More, more, I prithee, more.
    Amiens
    It will make you melancholy, Monsieur Jaques.
    900Jaques
    I thank it. More, I prithee, more. I can suck melancholy out of a song as a weasel sucks eggs. More, I prithee, more.
    Amiens
    My voice is ragged. I know I cannot please you.
    905Jaques
    I do not desire you to please me, I do desire you to sing. Come, more; another stanzo. Call you 'em "stanzos"?
    Amiens
    What you will, Monsieur Jaques.
    Jaques
    Nay, I care not for their names; they owe me 910nothing. Will you sing?
    Amiens
    More at your request than to please myself.
    Jaques
    Well then, if ever I thank any man, I'll thank you. But that they call "compliment" is like th'encounter of two dog-apes; and when a man thanks me heartily, 915methinks I have given him a penny, and he renders me the beggarly thanks. Come, sing; and you that will not, hold your tongues.
    Amiens
    Well, I'll end the song. -- Sirs, cover the while; the Duke will drink under this tree. -- He hath been all this 920day to look you.
    [Food and drink are set out.]
    Jaques
    And I have been all this day to avoid him. He is too disputable for my company. I think of as many matters as he, but I give heaven thanks and make no boast of them. 925Come, warble, come.
    Song
    Amiens
    [Sings]
    Who doth ambition shun,
    And loves to live i'th' sun,
    Seeking the food he eats,
    930And pleased with what he gets,
    All together here
    Come hither, come hither, come hither.
    Here shall he see
    No enemy
    But winter and rough weather.
    Jaques
    I'll give you a verse to this note that I made yesterday in despite of my invention.
    935Amiens
    And I'll sing it.
    Jaques
    Thus it goes:
    If it do come to pass
    That any man turn ass,
    Leaving his wealth and ease
    A stubborn will to please,
    940Ducdame, ducdame, ducdame.
    Here shall he see
    Gross fools as he,
    An if he will come to me.
    Amiens
    What's that "ducdame"?
    Jaques
    'Tis a Greek invocation, to call fools into a circle. 945I'll go sleep, if I can; if I cannot, I'll rail against all the first-born of Egypt.
    Amiens
    And I'll go seek the Duke. His banquet is prepared.
    Exeunt [separately].