You shall have me assisting you in all.

But will you woo this wild-cat?

Pet.

Will I live?

Gru. [aside] Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her.
Pet. Why came I hither but to that intent?
Think you a little din can daunt mine ears?
Have I not in my time heard lions roar?
Have I not heard the sea, puff'd up with winds,
Rage like an angry boar chafèd with sweat?
Have I not heard great ordnance in the field,
And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies?
Have I not in a pitched battle heard

Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang?
And do you tell me of a woman's tongue;

That gives not half so great a blow to th' ear(50)

As will a chestnut in a farmer's fire?

Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs.

Gru. [aside]

Gre. Hortensio, hark:

This gentleman is happily arriv'd,

For he fears none.

My mind presumes, for his own good and ours.(51)
Hor. I promis'd we would be contributors,
And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe❜er.

Gre. And so we will,-provided that he win her.
Gru. [aside] I would I were as sure of a good dinner.

Enter TRANIO bravely apparelled, and BIONDELLO.
Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! If I may be bold,
Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way

To the house of Signior Baptista Minola?

Gre. (52) He that has the two fair daughters,―is't he you mean?

Tra. Even he.-Biondello,

Gre. Hark you, sir; you mean not her to—_(53)

Tra. Perhaps, him and her, sir: what have you to do?
Pet. Not her that chides, sir, at any hand, I pray.
Tra. I love no chiders, sir.-Biondello, let's away.
Luc. [aside] Well begun, Tranio.

Hor. Sir, a word ere you go ;—

Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea or no?

Tra. An if I be, sir, is it any offence?

Gre. No; if without more words you will get you hence. Tra. Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free For me as for you?

Tra. For what reason, I beseech you?

Gre. For this reason, if you'll know,—
That she's the choice love of Signior Gremio.
Hor. That she's the chosen of Signior Hortensio.
Tra. Softly, my masters! if you be gentlemen,
Do me this right,-hear me with patience.
Baptista is a noble gentleman,

To whom my father is not all unknown;
And, were his daughter fairer than she is,
She may more suitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers;
Then well one more may fair Bianca have:
And so she shall; Lucentio shall make one,
Though Paris came in hope to speed alone.

Gre. What, what,(54) this gentleman will out-talk us all!
Luc. Sir, give him head: I know he'll prove a jade.
Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these words?
Hor. Sir, let me be so bold as ask you this,(55)

Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter?

Tra. No, sir; but hear I do that he hath two;
The one as famous for a scolding tongue,
As is the other for beauteous modesty.

Pet. Sir, sir, the first's for me; let her go by.
Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules;
And let it be more than Alcides' twelve.

Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, in sooth:
The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for,
Her father keeps from all access of suitors;
And will not promise her to any man

Until the elder sister first be wed:

The younger then is free, and not before.

Tra. If it be

so, sir, that

you are the man

Must stead us all, and me amongst the rest;
And if you break the ice, and do this feat,(56)
Achieve the elder, set the younger free

For our access,-whose hap shall be to have her
Will not so graceless be to be ingrate.

Hor. 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.

Tra. Sir, I shall not be slack in sign whereof,
Please ye we may contrive(57) this afternoon,
And quaff carouses to our mistress' health;
And do as adversaries do in law,-

Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.

Gru., Bion.(57) O excellent motion! Fellows, let's be gone. Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it so :Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I. Padua. A room in BAPTISTA's house.

Enter KATHARINA, and BIANCA with her hands bound.

Bian. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself, To make a bondmaid and a slave of me;

That I disdain but for these other gauds,(58)

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.

Kath. Of all thy suitors, here I charge thee,(59) tell
Whom thou lov'st best: see thou dissemble not.
Bian. Believe me, sister, of all men(60) alive,

I never yet beheld that special face
Which I could fancy more than any other.

Kath. Minion, thou liest: is't not Hortensio ?
Bian. If you affect him, sister, here I swear
I'll plead for you myself, but you shall have him.

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

Bian. Is it for him you do envý 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.

Kath. If that be jest, then all the rest was so. [Strikes her.

Enter BAPTISTA.

Bap. 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 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?

Kath. Her silence flouts me, and I'll be reveng'd.

[Flies after Bianca.

Bap. [holding her back] What, in my sight?-Bianca, get

thee in.

[Exit Bianca. Kath. Will you not(61) 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.

Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd as I?

But who comes here?

[Exit.

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

Gre. Good morrow, neighbour Baptista.

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

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

Bap. I have a daughter, sir, call'd Katharina.

Gre. You are too blunt: go to it orderly.

Pet. 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 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,

T' 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.

Bap. You're welcome, sir; and he, for your good sake. But for my daughter Katharine,-this I know,

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

Pet. I see you do not mean to part with her;

Or else you like not of my company.

Bap. Mistake me not; I speak but as I find.
Whence are you, sir? what may I call your name?
Pet. Petruchio is my name; Antonio's son,
A man well known throughout all Italy.

Bap. I knew(61) him well: you're welcome for his sake.
Gre. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray,

Let us, that are poor petitioners, speak too:
Baccare! you are marvellous forward.

Pet. O, pardon me, Signior Gremio; I would fain be
doing.

Gre. I doubt it not, sir; but you will curse your wooing.Neighbour, (62) this is a gift very grateful, I am sure of it. To express the like kindness myself, that have been more kindly beholding to you than any, I freely give unto you(63) 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.

Bap. A thousand thanks, Signior Gremio.-Welcome, good Cambio.-But, gentle sir [to Tranio], methinks you walk like a stranger: may I be so bold to know the cause of your coming?

Tra. Pardon me, sir, the boldness is mine own;