The shepherdess Phoebe arrives at this point followed by Silvius (at line 66). Phoebe is indignant that Rosalind showed her love letter to Silvius, but Rosalind tells the shepherdess that she has no intention to please her. Rosalind then tells Phoebe to accept the love of Silvius, who adores her. Phoebe, however, is in love with Ganymede; and she asks Silvius to explain what love is to Rosalind.
Following is a series of repetitive comic declarations of love: Silvius loves Phoebe, Phoebe loves Ganymede, Orlando loves Rosalind, and Rosalind loves “no woman.” In between these comic declarations Silvius defines love: it is “sighs and tears,” “faith and service,” and “fantasy” and “passion” and so on. Love is not simple. It is complex. It is difficult to define. The feeling goes beyond words.
Rosalind ends the comic declarations of the others and herself. Rosalind admits that their dialogue is “like the howling of Irish wolves against the moon” (101-02). The English thought of Ireland as an uncivilized and barbaric country; and, thus, the wolves of Ireland would be more uncivilized and barbaric than the wolves of England.
Rosalind then makes promises to her lovesick companions. To Silvius she promises her help; to Phoebe she promises to marry her tomorrow if she ever marries a woman and Rosalind adds that she will definitely be getting married tomorrow; and to Orlando she promises that he will be married to