ACT 2
Scene 1

...not to banishment.
Enter Duke Senior, Amiens, and two or three Lords, like foresters.

...round haunches gored.
FIRST LORD: Indeed, my lord,
The melancholy Jaques grieves at that,
And in that kind swears you do more usurp
Than doth your brother that hath banished you.
Today my Lord of Amiens and myself
Did steal behind him as he lay along
Under an oak, whose antique root peeps out
Upon the brook that brawls along this wood;
To the which place a poor sequestered stag
That from the hunter’s aim had ta’en a hurt
Did come to languish. And indeed, my lord,
The wretched animal heaved forth such groans
That their discharge did stretch his leathern coat
Almost to bursting, and the big round tears
Coursed one another down his innocent nose
In piteous chase. And thus the hairy fool,
Much markèd of the melancholy Jaques,
Stood on th’ extremest verge of the swift brook,
Augmenting it with tears.

...moralize this spectacle?
FIRST LORD: O yes, into a thousand similes.
First, for his weeping into the needless stream:
“Poor deer,” quoth he, “thou mak’st a testament
As worldlings do, giving thy sum of more
To that which had too much.” Then, being there alone,
Left and abandoned of his velvet friends:
“’Tis right,” quoth he. “Thus misery doth part
The flux of company.” Anon a careless herd,
Full of the pasture, jumps along by him
And never stays to greet him. “Ay,” quoth Jaques,
“Sweep on, you fat and greasy citizens.
’Tis just the fashion. Wherefore do you look
Upon that poor and broken bankrupt there?”
Thus most invectively he pierceth through
The body of country, city, court,
Yea, and of this our life, swearing that we
Are mere usurpers, tyrants, and what’s worse,
To fright the animals and to kill them up
In their assigned and native dwelling place.

...in this contemplation?
SECOND LORD: We did, my lord, weeping and commenting
Upon the sobbing deer.

...full of matter.
FIRST LORD: I’ll bring you to him straight.
They exit.

Scene 5

...gold right suddenly.
Enter Amiens, Jaques, and others.

...come. Song.
together here.

Who doth ambition shun

And loves to live i’ th’ sun,

Seeking the food he eats

And pleased with what he gets,

Come hither, come hither, come hither.

Here shall he see

No enemy

But winter and rough weather.

...banquet is prepared.
They exit.

Scene 7

...Cheerly, good Adam.
Enter Duke Senior and Lords, like outlaws.

...like a man.
FIRST LORD: My lord, he is but even now gone hence.
Here was he merry, hearing of a song.

... Enter Jaques.
FIRST LORD: He saves my labor by his own approach.

...your fortunes understand.
They exit.

ACT 4
Scene 2

...And I’ll sleep.
Enter Jaques and Lords, like foresters.

...killed the deer?
FIRST LORD: Sir, it was I.

...for this purpose?
SECOND LORD: Yes, sir.

... Music. Song.
SECOND LORD: sings

What shall he have that killed the deer?

His leather skin and horns to wear.

Then sing him home.

...laugh to scorn.
They exit.