Will not so graceless be to be ingrate.

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 beholden.

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.

GRUMIO and BIONDELLO

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

HORTENSIO

The motion’s good indeed, and be it so.

Petruccio, I shall be your ben venuto.

Exeunt

2.1 Enter Katherina and Bianca, her hands bound

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 goods,

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.

KATHERINE

Of all thy suitors here I charge thee tell

Whom thou lov’st best. See thou dissemble not.

BIANCA

Believe me, sister, of all the men alive

I never yet beheld that special face

Which I could fancy more than any other.

KATHERINE

Minion, thou liest. Is’t not Hortensio?

BIANCA

If you affect him, sister, here I swear

I’ll plead for you myself but you shall have him.

KATHERINE

O then, belike you fancy riches more.

You will have Gremio to keep you fair.

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.

KATHERINE (strikes her)

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

Enter Baptista

BAPTISTA

Why, how now, dame, whence grows this insolence?

Bianca, stand aside.—Poor girl, she weeps.—

Go ply thy needle, meddle not with her.

(To Katherine) 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?

KATHERINE

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

She flies after Bianca

BAPTISTA

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

Exit Bianca

KATHERINE

What, 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.

Exit

BAPTISTA

Was ever gentleman thus grieved as I?

But who comes here?

Enter Gremio, Lucentio as a schoolmaster in the

habit of a mean man, Petruccio with Hortensio as a

musician, Tranio as Lucentio, with Biondello his

boy bearing a lute and books

GREMIO Good morrow, neighbour Baptista.

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

PETRUCCIO

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

Called Katherina, fair and virtuous?

BAPTISTA

I have a daughter, sir, called Katherina.

GREMIO

You are too blunt. Go to it orderly.

PETRUCCIO

You wrong me, Signor Gremio. Give me leave.

(To Baptista) 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

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.

BAPTISTA

You’re welcome, sir, and he for your good sake.

But for my daughter, Katherine, this I know:

She is not for your turn, the more my grief.

PETRUCCIO

I see you do not mean to part with her,

Or else you like not of my company.

BAPTISTA

Mistake me not, I speak but as I find.

Whence are you, sir? What may I call your name?

PETRUCCIO

Petruccio is my name, Antonio’s son,

A man well known throughout all Italy.

BAPTISTA

I know him well. You are welcome for his sake.

GREMIO

Saving your tale, Petruccio, I pray

Let us that are poor petitioners speak too.

Baccare, you are marvellous forward.

PETRUCCIO

O pardon me, Signor Gremio, I would fain be doing.

GREMIO

I doubt it not, sir. But you will curse your wooing. (To Baptista) Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am sure of it. To express the like kindness, myself, that have been more kindly beholden to you than any, 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.

BAPTISTA A thousand thanks, Signor Gremio. Welcome, good Cambio. (To Tranio) But, gentle sir, methinks you walk like a stranger. May I be so bold to know the cause of your coming?

TRANIO

Pardon me, sir, the boldness is mine own

That, being a stranger in this city here,

Do make myself a suitor to your daughter,