SCENE I. Padua. A public place.
Enter LUCENTIO and his man TRANIO LUCENTIO
Tranio, since for the great desire I hadTo 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 arm'dWith his good will and thy good company,My trusty servant, well approved in all,Here let us breathe and haply instituteA course of learning and ingenious studies.Pisa renown'd for grave citizensGave me my being and my father first,A merchant of great traffic through the world,Vincetino come of Bentivolii.Vincetino's son brought up in FlorenceIt 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 philosophyWill I apply that treats of happinessBy virtue specially to be achieved.Tell me thy mind; for I have Pisa leftAnd am to Padua come, as he that leavesA shallow plash to plunge him in the deepAnd with satiety seeks to quench his thirst.TRANIO
Mi perdonato, gentle master mine,I am in all affected as yourself;Glad that you thus continue your resolveTo suck the sweets of sweet philosophy.Only, good master, while we do admireThis virtue and this moral discipline,Let's be no stoics nor no stocks, I pray;Or so devote to Aristotle's chequesAs Ovid be an outcast quite abjured:Balk logic with acquaintance that you haveAnd practise rhetoric in your common talk;Music and poesy use to quicken you;The mathematics and the metaphysics,Fall to them as you find your stomach serves you;No profit grows where is no pleasure ta'en:In brief, sir, study what you most affect.LUCENTIO
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 entertainSuch friends as time in Padua shall beget.But stay a while: what company is this?TRANIO
Master, some show to welcome us to town.
Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and HORTENSIO. LUCENTIO and TRANIO stand byBAPTISTA
Gentlemen, importune me no farther,For how I firmly am resolved you know;That is, not bestow my youngest daughterBefore I have a husband for the elder:If either of you both love Katharina,Because I know you well and love you well,Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.GREMIO
[Aside] To cart her rather: she's too rough for me.There, There, Hortensio, will you any wife?KATHARINA
I pray you, sir, is it your willTo make a stale of me amongst these mates?HORTENSIO
Mates, maid! how mean you that? no mates for you,Unless you were of gentler, milder mould.KATHARINA
I'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear:I wis it is not half way to her heart;But if it were, doubt not her care should beTo comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stoolAnd paint your face and use you like a fool.HORTENSIA
From all such devils, good Lord deliver us!GREMIO
And me too, good Lord!TRANIO
Hush, master! here's some good pastime toward:That wench is stark mad or wonderful froward.LUCENTIO
But in the other's silence do I seeMaid's mild behavior and sobriety.Peace, Tranio!TRANIO
Well said, master; mum! and gaze your fill.BAPTISTA
Gentlemen, that I may soon make goodWhat I have said, Bianca, get you in:And let it not displease thee, good Bianca,For I will love thee ne'er the less, my girl.KATHARINA
A pretty peat! it is bestPut finger in the eye, an she knew why.BIANCA
Sister, content you in my discontent.Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe:My books and instruments shall be my company,On them to took and practise by myself.LUCENTIO
Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Minerva speak.
HORTENSIO
Signior Baptista, will you be so strange?Sorry am I that our good will effectsBianca's grief.GREMIO
Why will you mew her up,Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell,And make her bear the penance of her tongue?BAPTISTA
Gentlemen, content ye; I am resolved:Go in, Bianca:
Exit BIANCAAnd for I know she taketh most delightIn music, instruments and poetry,Schoolmasters will I keep within my house,Fit to instruct her youth. If you, Hortensio,Or Signior Gremio, you, know any such,Prefer them hither; for to cunning menI will be very kind, and liberalTo mine own children in good bringing up:And so farewell. Katharina, you may stay;For I have more to commune with Bianca.
Exit
