ACT 1
Scene 1
...younger. They sit.
Flourish. Enter Lucentio and his man Tranio.
Tranio, since for the great desire I had
To see fair Padua, nursery of arts,
I am arrived for fruitful Lombardy,
The pleasant garden of great Italy,
And by my father’s love and leave am armed
With his goodwill and thy good company.
My trusty servant well approved in all,
Here let us breathe and haply institute
A course of learning and ingenious studies.
Pisa, renownèd for grave citizens,
Gave me my being, and my father first,
A merchant of great traffic through the world,
Vincentio, come of the Bentivolii.
Vincentio’s son, brought up in Florence,
It shall become to serve all hopes conceived
To deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds.
And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study
Virtue, and that part of philosophy
Will I apply that treats of happiness
By virtue specially to be achieved.
Tell me thy mind, for I have Pisa left
And am to Padua come, as he that leaves
A shallow plash to plunge him in the deep
And with satiety seeks to quench his thirst.
...you most affect.
Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise.
If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore,
We could at once put us in readiness
And take a lodging fit to entertain
Such friends as time in Padua shall beget.
Enter Baptista with his two daughters, Katherine and Bianca; Gremio, a pantaloon, and Hortensio, suitors to Bianca.
But stay awhile! What company is this?
...us to town.
Lucentio and Tranio stand by.
...or wonderful froward.
aside to Tranio
But in the other’s silence do I see
Maid’s mild behavior and sobriety.
Peace, Tranio.
...practice by myself.
aside to Tranio
Hark, Tranio, thou mayst hear Minerva speak!
...take such hold?
O Tranio, till I found it to be true,
I never thought it possible or likely.
But see, while idly I stood looking on,
I found the effect of love-in-idleness,
And now in plainness do confess to thee
That art to me as secret and as dear
As Anna to the Queen of Carthage was:
Tranio, I burn, I pine! I perish, Tranio,
If I achieve not this young modest girl.
Counsel me, Tranio, for I know thou canst.
Assist me, Tranio, for I know thou wilt.
...quam queas minimo.
Gramercies, lad. Go forward. This contents;
The rest will comfort, for thy counsel’s sound.
...pith of all.
O yes, I saw sweet beauty in her face,
Such as the daughter of Agenor had,
That made great Jove to humble him to her hand
When with his knees he kissed the Cretan strand.
...endure the din?
Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move,
And with her breath she did perfume the air.
Sacred and sweet was all I saw in her.
...annoyed with suitors.
Ah, Tranio, what a cruel father’s he!
But art thou not advised he took some care
To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her?
...now ’tis plotted!
I have it, Tranio!
...jump in one.
Tell me thine first.
...That’s your device.
It is. May it be done?
...and banquet them?
Basta, content thee, for I have it full.
We have not yet been seen in any house,
Nor can we be distinguished by our faces
For man or master. Then it follows thus:
Thou shalt be master, Tranio, in my stead,
Keep house, and port, and servants, as I should.
I will some other be, some Florentine,
Some Neapolitan, or meaner man of Pisa.
’Tis hatched, and shall be so. Tranio, at once
Uncase thee. Take my colored hat and cloak. They exchange clothes.
When Biondello comes, he waits on thee,
But I will charm him first to keep his tongue.
...I love Lucentio.
Tranio, be so, because Lucentio loves,
And let me be a slave, t’ achieve that maid
Whose sudden sight hath thralled my wounded eye.
Enter Biondello.
Here comes the rogue.—Sirrah, where have you been?
...what’s the news?
Sirrah, come hither. ’Tis no time to jest,
And therefore frame your manners to the time.
Your fellow, Tranio here, to save my life,
Puts my apparel and my count’nance on,
And I for my escape have put on his;
For in a quarrel since I came ashore
I killed a man and fear I was descried.
Wait you on him, I charge you, as becomes,
While I make way from hence to save my life.
You understand me?
...Ne’er a whit.
And not a jot of “Tranio” in your mouth.
Tranio is changed into Lucentio.
...your master Lucentio.
Tranio, let’s go. One thing more rests, that
thyself execute, to make one among these wooers. If
thou ask me why, sufficeth my reasons are both
good and weighty.
They exit.
Scene 2
...their heads together!
Enter Gremio and Lucentio, disguised as Cambio, a schoolmaster.
...read to her?
as Cambio
Whate’er I read to her, I’ll plead for you
As for my patron, stand you so assured,
As firmly as yourself were still in place,
Yea, and perhaps with more successful words
Than you—unless you were a scholar, sir.
...Biondello, let’s away.
aside
Well begun, Tranio.
...out-talk us all!
as Cambio
Sir, give him head; I know he’ll prove a jade.
...your ben venuto.
They exit.
ACT 2
Scene 1
...who comes here?
Enter Gremio; Lucentio disguised as Cambio in the habit of a mean man; Petruchio with Hortensio disguised as Litio; and Tranio disguised as Lucentio, with his boy, Biondello bearing a lute and books.
...this young scholar
presenting Lucentio, disguised as Cambio
...use them well.
Servant exits with Hortensio and Lucentio.
ACT 3
Scene 1
...of my cunning.
Enter Lucentio as Cambio, Hortensio as Litio, and Bianca.
as Cambio
Fiddler, forbear. You grow too forward, sir.
Have you so soon forgot the entertainment
Her sister Katherine welcomed you withal?
...for as much.
as Cambio
Preposterous ass, that never read so far
To know the cause why music was ordained.
Was it not to refresh the mind of man
After his studies or his usual pain?
Then give me leave to read philosophy,
And, while I pause, serve in your harmony.
...am in tune?
aside
That will be never. To Hortensio.
Tune your instrument.
...left we last?
as Cambio
Here, madam: Showing her a book.
Hic ibat Simois, hic est Sigeia tellus,
Hic steterat Priami regia celsa senis.
... Conster them.
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.
...the treble jars!
as Cambio
Spit in the hole, man, and tune
again.
...tune.He plays again.
as Cambio
All but the bass.
...yet I mistrust.
Mistrust it not, for sure Aeacides
Was Ajax, called so from his grandfather.
...in three parts.
as Cambio
Are you so formal, sir? Well, I must wait
Aside.
And watch withal, for, but I be deceived,
Our fine musician groweth amorous.
He steps aside.
...must be gone.
Faith, mistress, then I have no cause to stay.
Bianca, the Servant, and Lucentio exit.
Scene 2
...thee by changing.
Enter Baptista, Gremio, Tranio as Lucentio, Katherine, Bianca, Lucentio as Cambio, and others, Attendants.
...Bianca with consent.
Were it not that my fellow schoolmaster
Doth watch Bianca’s steps so narrowly,
’Twere good, methinks, to steal our marriage,
Which, once performed, let all the world say no,
I’ll keep mine own despite of all the world.
...was the like.
as Cambio
Mistress, what’s your opinion of your sister?
...gentlemen, let’s go.
They exit.
ACT 4
Scene 2
...They stand aside.
Enter Bianca and Lucentio as Cambio.
as Cambio
Now mistress, profit you in what you read?
...resolve me that.
as Cambio
I read that I profess, The Art to Love.
...of your art.
as Cambio
While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my heart.
They move aside and kiss and talk.
...I swore before.
Bianca and Lucentio come forward.
...Mistress, we have.
Then we are rid of Litio.
...like a father.
And what of him, Tranio?
...let me alone.
Lucentio and Bianca exit.
Scene 4
...gives him money.
Enter Baptista and Lucentio as Cambio.
...be Lucentio’s wife.
Lucentio exits.
...I follow you.
Enter Lucentio.
... Cambio.
What sayst thou, Biondello?
...laugh upon you?
Biondello, what of that?
...signs and tokens.
I pray thee, moralize them.
...a deceitful son.
And what of him?
...to the supper.
And then?
...at all hours.
And what of all this?
...and a day.
Hear’st thou, Biondello?
...with your appendix.
I may, and will, if she be so contented.
She will be pleased. Then wherefore should I doubt?
Hap what hap may, I’ll roundly go about her.
It shall go hard if “Cambio” go without her.
He exits.
ACT 5
Scene 1
...to be untoward.
Enter Biondello, Lucentio as himself, and Bianca. Gremio is out before and stands to the side.
...priest is ready.
I fly, Biondello. But they may chance to
need thee at home. Therefore leave us.
Lucentio exits with Bianca.
...O monstrous villain!
Enter Biondello, Lucentio and Bianca.
...are all undone.
Pardon, sweet father.
Lucentio and Bianca kneel.
...Where is Lucentio?
Here’s Lucentio,
Right son to the right Vincentio,
That have by marriage made thy daughter mine
While counterfeit supposes bleared thine eyne.
...changed into Lucentio.
Love wrought these miracles. Bianca’s love
Made me exchange my state with Tranio,
While he did bear my countenance in the town,
And happily I have arrivèd at the last
Unto the wishèd haven of my bliss.
What Tranio did, myself enforced him to.
Then pardon him, sweet father, for my sake.
...of this knavery.
Look not pale, Bianca. Thy father will not
frown.
They exit.
Scene 2
...never too late.
Enter Baptista, Vincentio, Gremio, the Merchant, Lucentio, and Bianca; Hortensio and the Widow, Petruchio and Katherine; Tranio, Biondello, and Grumio, with Servingmen bringing in a banquet.
At last, though long, our jarring notes agree,
And time it is when raging war is done
To smile at ’scapes and perils overblown.
My fair Bianca, bid my father welcome,
While I with selfsame kindness welcome thine.
Brother Petruchio, sister Katherina,
And thou, Hortensio, with thy loving widow,
Feast with the best, and welcome to my house.
My banquet is to close our stomachs up
After our great good cheer. Pray you, sit down,
For now we sit to chat as well as eat.
They sit.
...hits you now.
I thank thee for that gird, good Tranio.
...what’s the wager?
Twenty crowns.
...upon my wife.
A hundred, then.
...Who shall begin?
That will I.
Go, Biondello, bid your mistress come to me.
...half Bianca comes.
I’ll have no halves. I’ll bear it all myself.
Enter Biondello.
How now, what news?
...them hither straight.
Here is a wonder, if you talk of a wonder.
...call you this?
I would your duty were as foolish too.
The wisdom of your duty, fair Bianca,
Hath cost me a hundred crowns since suppertime.
...Kate. They kiss.
Well, go thy ways, old lad, for thou shalt ha ’t.
...children are toward.
But a harsh hearing when women are froward.
...a curst shrow.
’Tis a wonder, by your leave, she will be tamed so.
They exit.