Taming of the Shrew

[Guru]

HORTENSIO


You'll leave his lecture when I am in tune?

 

[Guru]

LUCENTIO


That will be never: tune your instrument.

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


Where left we last?

 

[Guru]

LUCENTIO


Here, madam:
'Hic ibat Simois; hic est Sigeia tellus;
Hic steterat Priami regia celsa senis.'

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


Construe them.

 

[Guru]

LUCENTIO


'Hic ibat,' as I told you before, 'Simois,' I am
Lucentio, 'hic est,' son unto Vincentio of Pisa,
'Sigeia tellus,' disguised thus to get your love;
'Hic steterat,' and that Lucentio that comes
a-wooing, 'Priami,' is my man Tranio, 'regia,'
bearing my port, 'celsa senis,' that we might
beguile the old pantaloon.

 

[Guru]

HORTENSIO


Madam, my instrument's in tune.

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


Let's hear. O fie! the treble jars.

 

[Guru]

LUCENTIO


Spit in the hole, man, and tune again.

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


Now let me see if I can construe it: 'Hic ibat
Simois,' I know you not, 'hic est Sigeia tellus,' I
trust you not; 'Hic steterat Priami,' take heed
he hear us not, 'regia,' presume not, 'celsa senis,'
despair not.

 

[Guru]

HORTENSIO


Madam, 'tis now in tune.

 

[Guru]

LUCENTIO


All but the base.

 

[Guru]

HORTENSIO


The base is right; 'tis the base knave that jars.

Aside

How fiery and forward our pedant is!
Now, for my life, the knave doth court my love:
Pedascule, I'll watch you better yet.

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


In time I may believe, yet I mistrust.

 

[Guru]

LUCENTIO


Mistrust it not: for, sure, AEacides
Was Ajax, call'd so from his grandfather.

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


I must believe my master; else, I promise you,
I should be arguing still upon that doubt:
But let it rest. Now, Licio, to you:
Good masters, take it not unkindly, pray,
That I have been thus pleasant with you both.

 

[Guru]

HORTENSIO


You may go walk, and give me leave a while:
My lessons make no music in three parts.

 

[Guru]

LUCENTIO


Are you so formal, sir? well, I must wait,

Aside

And watch withal; for, but I be deceived,
Our fine musician groweth amorous.

 

[Guru]

HORTENSIO


Madam, before you touch the instrument,
To learn the order of my fingering,
I must begin with rudiments of art;
To teach you gamut in a briefer sort,
More pleasant, pithy and effectual,
Than hath been taught by any of my trade:
And there it is in writing, fairly drawn.

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


Why, I am past my gamut long ago.

 

[Guru]

HORTENSIO


Yet read the gamut of Hortensio.

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


[Reads] ''Gamut' I am, the ground of all accord,
'A re,' to Plead Hortensio's passion;
'B mi,' Bianca, take him for thy lord,
'C fa ut,' that loves with all affection:
'D sol re,' one clef, two notes have I:
'E la mi,' show pity, or I die.'
Call you this gamut? tut, I like it not:
Old fashions please me best; I am not so nice,
To change true rules for old inventions.

Enter a Servant

 

[Guru]

Servant


Mistress, your father prays you leave your books
And help to dress your sister's chamber up:
You know to-morrow is the wedding-day.

 

[Guru]

BIANCA


Farewell, sweet masters both; I must be gone.

Exeunt BIANCA and Servant

 

[Guru]

LUCENTIO


Faith, mistress, then I have no cause to stay.

Exit