Act 1. Scene 1.] TAMING OF THE SHREW. SCENE L ACT I. Flourish. Enter Lucentio, and his man Tranio. Luc. TRANIO, since for the great desire 15 had To see fair Padua, nursery of arts, Gave me my being, and my father first, Tra. Me pardonato, gentle master mine, Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise. Tra. Master, some shew to welcome us to town, For how I firmly am resolv'd you know; There, there, Hortensio, will you any wife? 10 To make a stale of me amongst these mates? Hor. Mates, maid! How mean you that? no Unless you were of gentler, milder mould. 15 I-wis, it is not half way to her heart: Hor. From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us! 20 Gre. And me too, good Lord! Tra. Hush, master! here is some good pastime That wench is stark mad or wonderful froward. 25 Maid's mild behaviour and sobriety. [fill. Tra. Well said, master; mum! and gaze your 35 Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe: Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Minerva speak. Gre. Why, will you mew her up, 45 And make her bear the penance of her tongue? And, for I know she taketh most delight 50 Schoolmasters will I keep within my house, 55 To mine own children in good bringing-up; 2 i. e. Vincentio's son. • The i. e. will I apply to. 'i. e. knowledge. Pent, or Cunning here retains its original • Perhaps we ought to read, ingenuous. correct Italian words are, " Mi perdonate." pet, is a word of endearment, from petit, little. signification of knowing, learned; in which sense it is used in the translation of the Bible. And And so farewell. Katharina, you may stay; For I have more to commune with Bianca. [Erit. [That art to me as secret, and as dear, leave? Ha! [Exit. Assist me, Tranio, for I know thou wilt. Gre. You may go to the devil's dam; your gifts are so good, here is none will hold you. Their love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow 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, our nails together, and fast it fairly out; our cake's 10 Redime te captum quam queas minimo. [tents; 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. Luc. Gramercies, lad; go forward: this conThe 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 of Agenor3 had Hor. So will I, signior Gremio: but a word, 115 pray. Though the nature of our quarrel never yet brook'd parle, know now, upon advice, it touchethus 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. 20 Gre. What's that, I pray ? Hor. Marry, sir, to get a husband for her sister. Hor. I say, a husband. Tra. Saw you no more? mark'd you not, how Began to scold; and raise up such a storm, Gre. I say, a devil: Think'st thou, Hortensio, 25 Sacred, and sweet, was all I saw in her. 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 30 a man could light on them, would take her with all her faults, and money enough. Gre. I cannot tell: but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition, -to be whipp'd 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 maintain'd,-till by helping Baptista's eldest Tra. Nay then, 'tis time to stir him from his trance. I pray, awake, sir; If you love the maid, stands: Her eldest sister is so curst and shrewd, daughter to a husband, we set his youngest free 40 Luc. I have it, Tranio. 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 Gre mio? Tra. Master, for my hand, Both our inventions meet and jump in one. Luc. Tell me thine first. Tra. You will be schoolmaster, Gre. I am agreed: and 'would I had given him 45 And undertake the teaching of the maid: 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. Manent Tranio and Lucentio. Tra. I pray, sir, tell me,-Is it possible That's your device. Luc. It is: May it be done? Tra. Not possible; For whoshall bear your part, And be in Padua here Vincentio's son; 50 Keep house, and ply his book; welcome his friends; Luc. Basta; content thee; for I have it full. 1 A proverbial expression. Dole originally meant, the provision given away at the doors of great men's houses. 2 That is, taken you in his toils, his nets; alluding to the captus est, habet, of Lilly. 3 Europa, to possess whom Jupiter is fabled to have transformed himself into a bull. + An Italian and Spanish word, signifying enough. Port means figure, show, appearance. I will 11 Act 1. Scene 2.] I will some other be, some Florentine, Some Neapolitan, or meaner man of Pisa.- Tra. So had you need. [They exchange habits. And I am try'd to be obedient; (For so your father charg'd me at our parting; Because so well I love Lucentio. 5 SCENE II. Before Hortensio's House in Padua. Pet. Verona, for a while I take my leave, 10 Gru. Knock, sir! whom should I knock? is there Pet. Villain, I say, knock me here soundly. [sir, That I should knock you here, sir? Luc. Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves: 15 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 grownquarrelsome: I should knock you first, And let me be a slave, to atchieve that maid [eye. where are you? Master, has my fellow Tranio stol'n your cloaths? And then I know after who comes by the worst. [He wrings him by the ears. Gru. Help, masters, help! my master is mad. And therefore frame your manners to the time. 25 Pet. Now knock when I bid you: sirrah! viliain! Your fellow, Tranio here, to save my life, Puts my apparel and my countenance on, Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes, Bion. Ay, sir, ne'er a whit. Enter Hortensio. Hor. How now? what's the matter?-My old friend Grumio! and my good friend Petruchio![fray? How do you all at Verona? 30 Pet. Signior Hortensio, come you to part the Con tutto il core ben trovato, may I say. Hor. Alla nostra casa ben venuto, Molto honorato signor mio Petruchio. Rise, Grumio, rise; we will compound this quarrel. Luc. And not a jot of Tranio in your mouth; 35 Gru. Nay, 'tis no matter, what he 'leges' in Tranio is chang'd into Lucentio. Bion. Thebetter for him; 'Would I were so too! Tra. So would I, 'faith, boy, to have the next 'vish after, 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, That Lucentio indeed had Baptista's youngest 40 perhaps, (for aught I see) two-and-thirty, a pip daughter. But, sirrah,-not for my sake, but your master's, I advise You use your manners discreetly in all kinds of When I am alone, why, then I am Tranio; One thing more rests, that thyself execute; out? Whom, would to God, I had well knock'd at first, Pet. A senseless villain!-Good Hortensio, 45 I bid the rascal knock upon your gate, To make one among these wooers: If thou ask 50 And come you now with-knocking at the gate? me why,Sufficeth my reasons are both good and weighty. [Exeunt. 1 Man. "My lord, you nod; you do not mind the play." Pet. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you. Sly. "Yes, by saint Anne, do I. A good matter, "Comes there any more of it?" Page. "My lord, 'tis but begun." [dam lady; "Would it were done!" To seek their fortunes farther than at home, 160 Where small experience grows. But, in a few3, • Perhaps we should read abused. Meaning, probably, what he alledges. That is, in a few words. Signior Haply to wive, and thrive, as best I may: The begins once, he'll rail in his rope-tricks'. I'll tell you what, sir,-an she stand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to see Crowns in my purse I have, and goods at home, 5 withal than a cat: You know him not, sir. And so am come abroad to see the world. (thee, Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee; Hor. Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to And wish thee to a shrewd ill-favour'd wife? For in Baptista's keep my treasure is: His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca; Thou'dst thank me but a little for my counsel: [we, Pet. Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends as If wealthily, then happily in Padua. 10 And her withholds he from me, and other more 15 Therefore this order hath Baptista ta'en;- A title for a maid, of all titles the worst. 20 Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchiodome grace; Gru. Nay, look you, sir, he teils you flatly what 25 Have leave and leisure to make love to her, his mind is: Why, give him gold enough, and marry him to a puppet, or an anglet2-baby: or an old trot with ne'er a tooth in herhead, though she have as many diseases as two-and-fifty horses; why, nothing comes amiss, so money comes withal. [in, Hor. Petruchio, since we have stept thus far He Her only fault (and that is fault enough) Is, that she is intolerably curst, And shrewd, and froward; so beyond all measure, That, were my state far worser than it is, I would not wed her for a mine of gold. Pet. Hortensio, peace; thou know'st not gold's And, unsuspected, court her by herself. Gru. Here's no knavery! See; to beguile the 30 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. 35 Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous! Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note. 40 You understand me:- Over and beside As thunder, when the clouds in autumn crack. 45 To whom they go. What will you read to her? effect: Signior Baptista's liberality, Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue; [her; Pet. I know her father, though I know not 50 Than you, unless you were a scholar, sir. half a score knaves, or so: why, that's nothing; an 60 And, by good fortune, I have lighted well This alludes to the story of a knight named Florent, who bound himself to marry a deformed hag, provided she taught him the solution of a riddle on which his life depended. * The tag of a point. Probably meaning his rogue-tricks. i. e. custody. i. e. well versed in musick, all events. i. e. at On Listen to me, and, if you speak me fair, Gre. So said, so done, is well : Hortensio, have you told him all her faults? 15 Tra. Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free For me, as for you? Gre. But so is not she. Tra. For what reason, I beseech you? 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, Pet. I know she is an irksome, brawling scold; 20 Baptista is If that be all, masters, I hear no harm. [man? Gre. O, sir, such a life, with such a wife, were But, if you have a stomach, to't o' God's name; Pet. Will I live? Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her. [Aside. Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent? Gru. For he fears none. This gentleman is happily arriv'd, 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; 25 Then well one more may fair Bianca have: And so she shall: Lucentio shall make one, Though Paris came, in hope to spend alone. Gre. What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. Luc. Sir, give him head; I know he'll prove a jade. 30 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: 35 The one as famous for a scolding tongue, As the other is 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. 40 Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, insooth;- [Aside. 45 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 amongst the rest ; An if you break the ice, and do this feat,Atchieve the elder, set the younger free My mind presumes, for his own good, and ours. 50 For our access, whose hap shall be to have her, Hor. I promis'd, we would be contributors, And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe'er. [her. Gre. And so we will; provided, that he win Gru. I would, I were as sure of a good dinner. will Will not so graceless be, to be ingrate. [Aside. 55 To whom we all rest generally beholden. To them Tranio bravely apparell'd, & Biondello. Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack: in sign whereof, Gre. He that has the two fair daughters? is't 60 Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. he you mean? Tra. Even he. Biondello ! Gru. O excellent motion! Fellows, let's begone, Hor. The motion's good, indeed, and be it so: Gre. Hark you, sir; You mean not her to Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. [Exeunt. That is, bug-bears. 2 Contrive in this place means to spend, to wear out. S2 ACT |