Or so devote to Aristotle's Ethics, As Ovid be an outcast quite abjur'd. Talk logic with acquaintance that you have, Fall to them as you find your stomach serves you. Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise. Such friends as time in Padua shall beget. Tra. Master, some show, to welcome us to town. Bap. Gentlemen, importune me no farther, For how 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. [To BAP.] I pray you, sir, is it your gracious 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 mood. Kath. I'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear: I wis, 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, good Lord, deliver us! Gre. And me too, good Lord! Tra. Hush, master! here is some good pastime toward: That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward. Peace, Tranio! Tra. Well said, master: mum! and gaze your fill. What I have said,-Bianca, get you in: Kath. A pretty peat! it is 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, Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Minerva speak. Hor. Signior Baptista, will you be so strange? Sorry am I, that our good will effects Bianca's grief. Gre. Why, will you mew her up, And make her bear the penance of her tongue? And for I know, she taketh most delight Fit to instruct her youth.-If you, Hortensio, [Exit. Kath. Why, and I trust, I may go too; may I not? What! shall I be appointed hours, as though, belike, I knew not what to take, and what to leave? Ha! [Exit. Gre. You may go to the devil's dam: your gifts are so good, here's none will hold you. This love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast it 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, it toucheth us both, that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love, to labour and effect one thing 'specially. Gre. What's that, I pray? Hor. Marry sir, to get a 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 hell? 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 far 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! He that runs fastest gets the ring. How say you, signior Gremio ? Gre. I am agreed: and 'would I had given him the best horse in Padua to begin his wooing, that would thoroughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the house of her. Come on. [Exeunt GREMIO and HORTENSIO. I never thought it possible, or likely. Tra. Master, it is no time to chide you now; If love have touch'd you, nought remains but so,Redime te captum, quam queas minimo. 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, That made great Jove to humble him to her hand, Began to scold, and raise up such a storm, I Tra. Nay, then, 'tis time to stir him from his trance.pray, awake, sir: if you love the maid, Bend thoughts and wits to achieve her. Thus it stands: Luc. Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father's he! Master, for my hand, Both our inventions meet and jump in one. You will be schoolmaster, It is may it be done? Luc. Luc. Basta; content thee; for I have it full. Tra. So had you need. [They exchange habits. (For so your father charg'd me at our parting; Although, I think, 'twas in another sense,) Because so well I love Lucentio. Luc. Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves, And let me be a slave, t' achieve that maid Whose sudden sight hath thrall'd my wond'ring eye. Enter BIONDELLO. Here comes the rogue.—Sirrah, where have you been? Bion. Where have I been? Nay, how now? where are you? Master, has my fellow Tranio stol'n your clothes, Exeunt. 1 Serv. My lord, you nod; you do not mind the play. Sly. Yes, by saint Anne, do I. A good matter, surely comes there any more of it? Page. My lord, 'tis but begun. Sly. 'Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam lady; would 'twere done! SCENE II.-The Same. Before HORTENSIO's House. Pet. Verona, for a while I take my leave, Gru. Knock, sir! whom should I knock? is there any man has rebused your worship? Pet. Villain, I say, knock me here soundly. Gru. Knock you here, sir? why, sir, what am I, sir, that I should knock you here, sir? Pet. Villain, I say, knock me at this gate; And rap me well, or I'll knock your knave's pate. Gru. My master is grown quarrelsome.—I should knock you first, And then I know after who comes by the worst. 'Faith, sirrah, an you'll not knock, I'll wring it: [He wrings GRUMIO by the ears. Gru. Help, masters, help! my master is mad. Pet. Now, knock when I bid you: sirrah! villain! [GRUMIO falls down. Enter HORTENSIO. Hor. How now! what's the matter?-My old friend Grumio, and my good friend Petruchio!-How do you all at Verona ? Pet. Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray? Con tutto il core ben trovato, may I say. Hor. Alla nostra casa ben venuto, molto honorato signior mio Petruchio. Rise, Grumio, rise: we will compound this quarrel. Gru. [Rising.] Nay, 'tis no matter, sir, what he 'leges in Latin.-If this be not a lawful cause for me to leave his service,-look you, sir,-he bid me knock him, and rap him soundly, sir: Well, was it fit for a servant to use his master so; Being, perhaps, (for aught I see) two and thirty,-a pip mo? 208 Whom, 'would to God, I had well knock'd at first, Pet. A senseless villain!-Good Hortensio, Gru. Knock at the gate?-O heavens! Spake you not these words plain,-"Sirrah, knock me here; rap me here, knock me well, and knock me soundly?" And come you now with knocking at the gate? Pet. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you. But in a few, To seek their fortunes farther than at home, And I have thrust myself into this maze, Hor. Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to thee, Pet. Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends as we (As wealth is burthen of my wooing dance) Be she as foul as was Florentius' love, As old as Sybil, and as curst and shrewd Gru. Nay, look you, sir, he tells you flatly what his mind is: why, give him gold enough and marry him to a puppet, or an aglet-baby; or an old trot with ne'er a tooth in her head, though she have as many diseases as two and fifty horses. Why, nothing comes amiss, so money comes withal. Hor. Petruchio, since we are stepp'd thus far in, I will continue that I broach'd in jest. I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife With wealth enough, and young, and beauteous; And shrewd, and froward; so beyond all measure, I would not wed her for a mine of gold." Pet. Hortensio, peace! thou know'st not gold's Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough, As thunder, when the clouds in autumn crack. An affable and courteous gentleman : Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue. Pet. I know her father, though I know not her, And he knew my deceased father well. I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her; Gru. I pray you, sir, let him go while the humour Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee, A title for a maid of all titles the worst. Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace, And offer me, disguis'd in sober robes, To old Baptista, as a schoolmaster Well seen in music, to instruct Bianca; And unsuspected court her by herself. Enter GREMIO, and 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 perus'd the note. I'll mend it with a largess.-Take your papers, too, To whom they go. What will you read to her? Gre. O, this learning, what a thing it is! Hor. Grumio, mum!-[Coming forward.]—God save you, signior Gremio! Gre. And you are well met, signior Hortensio. Trow you, whither I am going?-To Baptista Minola. I promis'd to inquire carefully About a master for the fair Bianca: And, by good fortune, I have lighted well On this young man; for learning, and behaviour, Fit for her turn; well read in poetry, prove. Gre. Belov'd of me, and that my deeds shall Gre. No, say'st me so, friend? What countryman? Gre. O! sir, such a life with such a wife were strange; But will you woo this wild cat? Pet. Will I live? Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her. Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang? For he fears none. Gre. Hortensio, hark. Gre. And so we will, provided that he win her. you mean? Tra. Even he, Biondello. Gre. Hark you, sir: you mean not her to— 209 pray. Pet. Not her that chides, sir, at any hand, I Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea, or no? Gre. No; if without more words you will get you hence. Gre. That she's the choice love of signior Gremio. To whom my father is not all unknown; Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter? Pet. Sir, sir, the first's for me; let her go by. Pet. Sir, understand you this of me: insooth, Tra. If it be so, sir, that you are the man Hor. Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive; Please ye we may contrive this afternoon, Gru. Bion. O, excellent motion! Fellows, let's Tra. Perhaps, him and her, sir: what have you to do? Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so.- 210 Bian. Believe me, sister, of all the men alive, Kath. Minion, thou liest. Is't not Hortensio ? Bian. Is it for him you do envy me so? Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so. [Strikes her. Enter BAPTISTA. Bap. Why, how now, dame! whence grows this in- Bianca, stand aside :-poor girl! she weeps.- Kath. Her silence flouts me, and I'll be reveng'd. Till I can find occasion of revenge. [Exit KATHARINA. Enter GREMIO, with LUCENTIO in a mean habit; PETRU- Bap. Good-morrow, neighbour Gremio. God save you, gentlemen! Pet. And you, good sir. Pray, have you not a daughter, Bap. I have a daughter, sir, call'd Katharina. Pet. You wrong me, signior Gremio: give me leave. I am a gentleman of Verona, sir, Her woman's qualities, and mild behaviour, Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am sure of it. To express the like kindness myself, that have been more kindly beholding to you than any, I freely give unto you this young scholar, [Presenting LUCENTIO] that hath been long studying at Rheims; as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in music and mathematics. His name is Cambio: pray accept his service. [Presenting HORTENSIO. Bap. A thousand thanks, signior Gremio: welcome, good Cambio.-But, gentle sir, [TO TRANIO,] methinks, you walk like a stranger: may I be so bold to know the cause of your coming? Tra. Pardon me, sir, the boldness is mine own, I may have welcome 'mongst the rest that woo, I know him well. You are very welcome, sir.- You shall go see your pupils presently. Enter a Servant. To my daughters; and tell them both, We will go walk a little in the orchard, Pet. Signior Baptista, my business asketh haste, Bap. After my death, the one half of my lands, Bap. You're welcome, sir, and he, for your good sake. Her widowhood, be it that she survive me, But for my daughter Katharine, this I know, Pet. I see, you do not mean to part with her, Or else you like not of my company. Bap. Mistake me not; I speak but as I find. Whence are you, sir? what may I call your name? Pet. Petruchio is my name, Antonio's son; A man well known throughout all Italy. In all my lands and leases whatsoever. Bap. Ay, when the special thing is well obtain'd, Pet. Why, that is nothing; for I tell you, father, Bap. I know him well; you are welcome for his sake. They do consume the thing that feeds their fury. Gre. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray, Though little fire grows great with little wind, |