Taming of the Shrew

[Guru]

HORTENSIO


Sir, you say well and well you do conceive;
And since you do profess to be a suitor,
You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman,
To whom we all rest generally beholding.

 

[Guru]

TRANIO


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.

 

[Guru]

GRUMIO

 

[Guru]

BIONDELLO


O excellent motion! Fellows, let's be gone.

 

[Guru]

HORTENSIO


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

Exeunt

 

[Guru]

ACT II
SCENE I. Padua. A room in BAPTISTA'S house.



Enter KATHARINA and BIANCA

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


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,
Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat;
Or what you will command me will I do,
So well I know my duty to my elders.

 

[Guru]

KATHARINA


Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee, tell
Whom thou lovest best: see thou dissemble not.

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


Believe me, sister, of all the men alive
I never yet beheld that special face
Which I could fancy more than any other.

 

[Guru]

KATHARINA


Minion, thou liest. Is't not Hortensio?

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


If you affect him, sister, here I swear
I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have
him.

 

[Guru]

KATHARINA


O then, belike, you fancy riches more:
You will have Gremio to keep you fair.

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


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 prithee, sister Kate, untie my hands.

 

[Guru]

KATHARINA


If that be jest, then all the rest was so.

Strikes her


Enter BAPTISTA

 

[Guru]

BAPTISTA


Why, how now, dame! whence grows this insolence?
Bianca, stand aside. Poor girl! she weeps.
Go ply thy needle; meddle not with her.
For shame, thou helding of a devilish spirit,
Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee?
When did she cross thee with a bitter word?

 

[Guru]

KATHARINA


Her silence flouts me, and I'll be revenged.

Flies after BIANCA

 

[Guru]

BAPTISTA


What, in my sight? Bianca, get thee in.

Exit BIANCA

 

[Guru]

KATHARINA


What, will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see
She is your treasure, she must have a husband;
I must dance bare-foot 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.

Exit

 

[Guru]

BAPTISTA


Was ever gentleman thus grieved as I?
But who comes here?

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

 

[Guru]

GREMIO


Good morrow, neighbour Baptista.

 

[Guru]

BAPTISTA


Good morrow, neighbour Gremio.
God save you, gentlemen!

 

[Guru]

PETRUCHIO


And you, good sir! Pray, have you not a daughter
Call'd Katharina, fair and virtuous?

 

[Guru]

BAPTISTA


I have a daughter, sir, called Katharina.

 

[Guru]

GREMIO


You are too blunt: go to it orderly.

 

[Guru]

PETRUCHIO


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 behavior,
Am bold to show myself a forward guest
Within your house, to make mine eye the witness
Of that report which I so oft have heard.
And, for an entrance to my entertainment,
I do present you with a man of mine,

Presenting HORTENSIO

Cunning in music and the mathematics,
To instruct her fully in those sciences,
Whereof I know she is not ignorant:
Accept of him, or else you do me wrong:
His name is Licio, born in Mantua.