Rosalind – still wearing her disguise as Ganymede – is unhappy because Orlando failed to meet her at the time that he had promised. Celia, realizing that reason will not work on the emotionally upset Rosalind, agrees with Rosalind’s contradictory statements and teases Rosalind into defending Orlando.
A traditional belief during the Renaissance was that Judas, the disciple of Jesus Christ, had red hair. Thus, red hair symbolizes liars, dissemblers, and traitors. So, Rosalind remarks that Orlando’s hair “is of the dissembling colour” (6). She is asserting that the red-headed Orlando is a false lover who betrayed her. Although Celia notes that Orlando’s hair is actually a reddish-brown, she agrees with Rosalind and tells her that Orlando’s kisses are false or insincere (at lines 7-8). Rosalind then contradicts her own statement about Orlando’s hair and further contradicts Celia’s statement about his kisses. Rosalind asserts that Orlando’s kisses are “full of sanctity” (12). She is saying that his kisses are holy and true. She is now declaring that Orlando is a true and honest lover. Celia herself then agrees with the contradiction and adds that his kisses are as true as those of a nun who is devoted to the goddess Diana, who is the Roman goddess of chastity (line 14). Celia is being humorous here and teasing Rosalind: if Orlando were truly like Diana’s nun, that would mean he has no interest in love or sex with anyone, including Rosalind.