SCENE I. - Padua. A public Place.

Enter LUCENTIO and TRANIO.

-

Luc. Tranio, since-for the great desire I had
To see fair Padua, nursery of arts,
I am arriv'd for fruitful Lombardy,
The pleasant garden of great Italy:

And, by my father's love and leave, am arm'd
With his good will, and thy good company,
Most trusty servant, well approv'd in all;"
Here let us breathe, and happily institute
A course of learning, and ingenious 3 studies.
Pisa, renowned for grave citizens,

Gave me my being, and my father first,

A merchant of great traffick through the world,
Vincentio, come of the Bentivolii.
Vincentio, his son, brought up in Florence,
It shall become, to serve all hopes conceiv'd,
To deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds:
And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study,
Virtue, and that part of philosophy
Will I apply, that treats of happiness
By virtue 'specially to be achiev'd.
Tell me thy mind: for I have Pisa left,
And am to Padua come: as he that leaves
A shallow plash 4, to plunge him in the deep
And with satiety seeks to quench his thirst.

Tra. Mi perdonate, gentle master mine,
I am in all affected as yourself;

Glad that you thus continue your resolve, To suck the sweets of sweet philosophy. Only, good master, while we do admire This virtue, and this moral discipline, Let's be no stoicks, nor no stocks, I pray; Or so devote to Aristotle's checks 6, As Ovid be an outcast quite abjur'd: Talk logick with acquaintance that you have, And practise rhetoric in your common talk: Musick and poesy use to quicken you; The mathematicks and the metaphysicks, Fall to them, as you find your stomach serves you: No profit grows, where is no pleasure ta'en; In brief, sir, study what you most affect. Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise. If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore, We could at once put us in readiness; And take a lodging fit to entertain Such friends, as time in Padua shall beget. But stay a while: What company is this?

Tra. Master, some show, to welcome us to town. Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and HORTENSIO. LUCENTIO and TRANIO stand aside. Bap. Gentlemen, impórtune me no further, For now I firmly am resolv'd you know; That is, not to bestow my youngest daughter, Before I have a husband for the elder: If either of you both love Katharina, Because I know you well, and love you well, Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure. Gre. To cart her rather: She's too rough for me:There, there Hortensio, will you any wife?

Kath. I pray you, sir, [To BAP.] is it your will To make a stale of me amongst these mates?

Hor. Mates, maid! how mean you that? no mates for you,

Unless you were of gentler, milder mould.

Kath. I'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear;
I wis 7, it is not half way to her heart:
But, if it were, doubt not her care should be
To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool,
And paint your face, and use you like a fool.

Hor. From all such devils, heaven deliver us!
Gre. And me too.

Tra. Hush, master! here is some good pastime
toward;

That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward.
Luc. But in the other's silence I do see
Maid's mild behaviour and sobriety.
Peace, Tranio.

Tra. Well said, master; mum! and gaze your fill.
Bap. Gentlemen, that I may soon make good
What I have said, - Bianca, get you in:
And let it not displease thee, good Bianca;
For I will love thee ne'er the less, my girl.
Kath. A pretty peat!" 'tis best
Put finger in the eye,

-an she knew why. Bian. Sister, content you in my discontent. Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe; My books, and instruments, shall be my company; On them to look, and practise by myself.

Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou mayst hear Minerva speak. [Aside. Hor. Signior Baptista, will you be so strange? Sorry am I, that our good will effects Bianca's grief.

Gre.

Why will you mew 9 her up, Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell,

And make her bear the penance of her tongue?

Bap. Gentlemen, content ye; I am resolv'd: Go in, Bianca. [Exit BIANCA. And for I know, she taketh most delight In musick, instruments and poetry, Fit to instruct her youth. Schoolmasters will I keep within my house - If you, Hortensio, Or signior Gremio, you, know any such, I will be very kind, and liberal Prefer them hither; for to cunning men

To mine own children in good bringing up;
And so farewell. Katharina, you may stay;
For I have more to commune with Bianca. [Exit.
Kath. Why, and I trust, I may go too; May

not?

What shall I be appointed hours; as though, belike, I knew not what to take, and what to leave? [Exit. Gre. You may go to the devil; your gifts are so good, here is none will hold you. Our love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast fairly out; our cake's dough on both sides. Farewell: :- Yet, for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit man, to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father.

Hor. So will I, signior Gremio: But a word, I pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brook'd parle, know now, upon advice 2, it toucheth us both, that we may yet again have access to

Gre. What's that, I pray?

Hor. Marry, sir, to get à husband for her sister. Gre. A husband! a devil.

Hor. I say, a husband

Gre. I say, a devil: Think'st thou, Hortensio, though her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool to be married to her?

Hor. Tush, Gremio, though it pass your patience, and mine, to endure her loud alarums, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an a man could light on them, would take her with all faults, and money enough.

Gre. I cannot tell; but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition, to be whipped at the high-cross, every morning.

Hor. 'Faith as you say, there's small choice in rotten apples. But, come; since this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be so forth friendly maintained, - till by helping Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband, we set his youngest free for a husband, and then have to't afresh. Sweet Bianca! Happy man be his dole! How say you, signior Gremio?

That love should of a sudden take such hold?
Luc. O Tranio, till I found it to be true,
I never thought it possible, or likely;
But see! while idly I stood looking on,
I found the effect of love in idleness:
And now in plainness do confess to thee,
That art to me as secret, and as dear,
As Anna to the queen of Carthage was,
Tranio, I burn, I pine, I perish, Tranio,
If I achieve not this young modest girl :
Counsel me, Tranio, for I know thou canst;
Assist me, Tranio, for I know thou wilt.

Tra. Master, it is no time to chide you now;
Affection is not rated from the heart:
If love have touch'd you, nought remains but so,-
Redime te captum quam queas minimo.

5

Luc. Gramercies, lad; go forward: this contents; The rest will comfort, for thy counsel's sound. Tra. Master, you look'd so longly on the maid, Perhaps you mark'd not what's the pith of all. Luc. O yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face, Such as the daughter 6 of Agenor had,

That made great Jove to humble him to her hand,
When with his knees he kiss'd the Cretan strand.
Tra. Saw you no more? mark'd you not, how her
sister

Began to scold; and raise up such a storm,
That mortal ears might hardly endure the din?
Luc. Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move,
And with her breath she did perfume the air;
Sacred, and sweet, was all I saw in her.

Tra. Nay, then 'tis time to stir him from his

That, till the father rid his hands of her,
Master, your love must live a maid at home;
And therefore has he closely mew'd her up,
Because she shall not be annoy'd with suitors.

Luc. Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father's he!
But art thou not advis'd, he took some care
To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her?
Tra. Ay, marry, am I, sir; and now 'tis plotted.
Luc. I have it, Tranio.

Tra.

Master, for my hand,

Both our inventions meet and jump in one.
Luc. Tell me thine first.
Tra.

You will be schoolmaster,
And undertake the teaching of the maid:
That's your device.
Luc.
It is May it be done?
Tra. Not possible; For who shall bear your part,
And be in Padua here Vincentio's son?
Keep house, and ply his book; welcome his friends;
Visit his countrymen, and banquet them?

Luc. Basta 7; content thee; for I have it full. We have not yet been seen in any house; Nor can we be distinguished by our faces, For man, or master: then it follows thus ; Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead, Keep house, and port 8, and servants, as I should: I will some other be; some Florentine, Some Neapolitan, or mean man of Pisa. 'Tis hatch'd, and shall be so: - Tranio, at once Uncase thee; take my colour'd hat and cloak : When Biondello comes, he waits on thee; But I will charm him first to keep his tongue.

Tra. So had you need. [They exchange habits.
In brief then, sir, sith 9 it your pleasure is,
And I am tied to be obedient;

(For so your father charg'd me at our parting;
Be serviceable to my son, quoth he,
Although, I think, 'twas in another sense,)
I am content to be Lucentio,
Because so well I love Lucentio.

Luc. Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves :
And let me be a slave, to achieve that maid
Whose sudden sight hath thrall'd my wounded eye.

are you?

Master, has my fellow Tranio stol'n your clothes?
Or you stol'n his? or both? pray, what's the news.
Luc. Sirrah, come hither; 'tis no time to jest,
And therefore frame your manners to the time.
Your fellow Tranio here, to save my life,
Puts my apparel and my countenance on,
And I for my escape have put on his ;
For in a quarrel, since I came ashore,
I kill'd a man, and fear I was descried :
Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes,
While I make way from hence to save my life :
You understand me?

Bion.

I, sir, ne'er a whit.
Luc. And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth;
Tranio is chang'd into Lucentio.

Bion. The better for him; Would I were so too! Tra. So would I, boy, to have the next wish after,

7 'Tis enough.

figure in her face, and so disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat : You know him not, sir.

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee;
For in Baptista's keep my treasure is:
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca ;

And her withholds from me, and other more
Suitors to her, and rivals in my love :
Supposing it a thing impossible,
(For those defects I have before rehears'd,)
That ever Katharina will be woo'd,

Therefore this order 6 hath Baptista ta'en; —
That none shall have access unto Bianca,
Till Katharine the curst have got a husband.
Gru. Katharine the curst!

A title for a maid, of all titles the worst.

Hor. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love: Listen to me, and if you speak me fair, I'll tell you news indifferent good for either. Here is a gentleman, whom by chance I met, Upon agreement from us to his liking, Will undertake to woo curst Katharine; Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please. Gre. So said, so done, is well: Hortensio, have you told him all her faults? Pet. I know; she is an irksome brawling scold; If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.

Gre. No, say'st me so, friend? What country

man?

Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son:

And offer me, disguis'd in sober robes,

To old Baptista as a schoolmaster

Well seen 7 in musick, to instruct Bianca :
That so I may by this device, at least,
Have leave and leisure to make love to her,
And, unsuspected, court her by herself.

Enter GREMIO; with him LUCENTIO disguised, with books under his arm.

Gru. Here's no knavery! See; to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together! Master, master, look about you: Who goes there? ha!

Hor. Peace, Grumio; 'tis the rival of my love: Petruchio, stand by a while.

Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous!
[They retire.
Gre. O, very well; I have perused the note.
Hark you, sir; I'll have them very fairly bound:
All books of love, see that at any hand;
And see you read no other lectures to her;
You understand me: — over and beside
Signior Bapista's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largess: - Take your papers too,
And let me have them very well perfum'd;
For she is sweeter than perfume itself,
To whom they go. What will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you,
As for my patron, (stand you so assur'd,)
As firmly as yourself were still in place;
Yea, and (perhaps) with more sucessful words
Than you, unless you were a scholar, sir.

Gre. O this learning! what a thing it is!
Gru. O this woodcock! what an ass it is!
Pet. Peace, sirrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum ! Save you, signior Gre

And I do hope good days, and long, to see.

Gre. O, sir, such a life, with such a wife, were

Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent? Think you, a little din can daunt mine ears? Have I not in my time heard lions roar? Have I not heard the sea, puff'd up with winds, Rage like an angry boar, chafed with sweat? Have I not heard great ordnance in the field, And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies? Have I not in a pitched battle heard Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang? And do you tell me of a woman's tongue; That gives not half so great a blow to the ear, As will a chesnut in a farmer's fire? Tush! tush! fear boys with bugs. 8 Gru.

For he fears none. [Aside.

Gre. Hortensio, hark! This gentleman is happily arriv'd, My mind presumes, for his own good, and yours. Hor. I promis'd we would be contributors, And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe'er.

Gre. And so we will; provided, that he win her. Gru. I would, I were as sure of a good dinner. [Aside.

Enter TRANIO, bravely apparell'd; and BIONDELLO.

Tra. Gentlemen, save you! If I may be bold, Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way To the house of signior Baptista Minola?

Gre. He that has the two fair daughters: -is't [Aside to TRANIC.] he you mean? Biondello !

Tra. Even he.

Tra. For what reason, I beseech you?
Gre. For this reason, if you'll know,
That she's the choice love of signior Gremio.

Hor. That she's the chosen of signior Hortensio.
Tra. Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen,
Do me this right, -
-hear me with patience.
Baptista is a noble gentleman,

To whom my father is not all unknown;
And, were his daughter fairer than she is,
She may more suitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers;
Then well one more may fair Bianca have:
And so she shall; Lucentio shall make one,
Though Paris came, in hope to speed alone.

Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. Luc. Sir, give him head; I know he'll prove a jade.

Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these words? Hor. Sir, let me be so bold as to ask you, Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter?

Tra. No, sir; but hear I do, that he hath two; The one as famous for a scolding tongue, As is the other for beauteous modesty.

Pet. Sir, sir, the first's for me; let her go by.

Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules; And let it be more than Alcides' twelve.

Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, insooth;
The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for,
Her father keeps from all access of suitors;
And will not promise her to any man,
Until the elder sister first be wed:
The younger then is free, and not before.

Tra. If it be so, sir, that you are the man
Must stead us all, and me among the rest;
An if you break the ice, and do this feat, -
Achieve the elder, set the younger free
For our access,
whose hap shall be to have her,
Will not so graceless be, to be ingrate.
Hor. Sir, you say well, and well you do con-
ceive;

And since you do profess to be a suitor,
You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman,
To whom we all rest generally beholden.

Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack in sign whereof
Please ye we may contrive this afternoon,
And quaff carouses to our mistress' health;
And do as adversaries do in law,

Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. Gru. Bion. O excellent motion! Fellows 3, let's be gone.

Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so ; — Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

A Room in Baptista's House.
Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA.
Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong
yourself,

To make a bondmaid and a slave of me:
That I disdain; but for these other gawds,
Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself,
Or, what you will command me, will I do,
So well I know my duty to my elders.

Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell
Whom thou lov'st best: see thou dissemble not.
Bian. Believe me, sister, of all the men alive,
I never yet beheld that special face
Which I could fancy more than any other.

1

Kath. Minion, thou liest; Is't not Hortensio ? Bian. If you affect him, sister, here I swear, I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have him. Kath. O then, belike, you fancy riches more ; You will have Gremio to keep you fair.

Bian. Is it for him you do envy me so? Nay, then you jest; and now I well perceive, You have but jested with me all this while : I pr'ythee, sister Kate, untie my hands. Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so.

Enter BAPTISTA.

Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence insolence?

[Strikes her.

Bianca, stand aside; - poor girl! she weeps:
Go ply thy needle; meddle not with her.
For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit,
Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee?
When did she cross thee with a bitter word?
9 Trifling ornaments. 1 Love. 2 A worthless woman.

Kath. Her silence flouts me, and I'll be reveng'd.

[Flies after BIANCA. Bianca, get thee in. [Exit BIANCA. Kath. Will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see, She is your treasure, she must have a husband; I must dance barefoot on her wedding-day, And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell. Talk not to me; I will go sit and weep, Till I can find occasion of revenge.

Bap. What, in my sight?.

[Erit KATHARINA. Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd as I? But who comes here?

Enter GREMIO, with LUCENTIO in the habit of a mean man; PETRUCHIO, with HORTENSIO as a musician; and TRANIO, with BIONDELLO bearing a lute and books.

Gre. Good-morrow, neighbour Baptista. Bap. Good-morrow, neighbour Gremio: save you, gentlemen!

Pet. And you, good sir! Pray, have you not a daughter

Call'd Katharina, fair, and virtuous?

Bap. I have a daughter, sir, call'd Katharina. Gre. You are too blunt, go to it orderly.

Pet. You wrong me, signior Gremio; give me leave.

I am a gentleman of Verona, sir,

-

That, hearing of her beauty, and her wit,
Her affability, and bashful modesty,
Her wondrous qualities and mild behaviour, -
Am bold to show myself a forward guest
3 Companions.