The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1

Vincentio’s son, brought up in Florence,
It shall become to serve all hopes conceived
To deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds.

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.

Only, good master, while we do admire
This virtue and this moral discipline,
Let’s be no stoics nor no stocks, I pray,
Or so devote to Aristotle’s checks
As Ovid be an outcast quite abjured.

Only, good master, while we do admire
This virtue and this moral discipline,
Let’s be no stoics nor no stocks, I pray,
Or so devote to Aristotle’s checks
As Ovid be an outcast quite abjured.

Balk logic with acquaintance that you have,
And practice 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.

Balk logic with acquaintance that you have,
And practice 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.

Gentlemen, importune me no farther,
For how I firmly am resolved you know:
That is, not to bestow my youngest daughter
Before I have a husband for the elder.

Husht, master, here’s some good pastime toward;
That wench is stark mad or wonderful froward.

But in the other’s silence do I see
Maid’s mild behavior and sobriety.

Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe.

Why will you mew her up,
Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell,
And make her bear the penance of her tongue?

For to cunning men
I will be very kind, and liberal
To mine own children in good bringing up.

Katherine, you may stay,
For I have more to commune with Bianca

Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brooked parle, know now upon advice, it toucheth us both (that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress and be happy rivals in Bianca’s love) to labor and effect one thing specially.

I cannot tell. But I had as lief take her dowry with this condition: to be whipped at the high cross every morning.

Tranio, I burn, I pine! I perish, Tranio,
If I achieve not this young modest girl.

Master, it is no time to chide you now.

Master, you looked so longly on the maid,
Perhaps you marked not what’s the pith of all.

Saw you no more? Marked you not how her sister
Began to scold and raise up such a storm
That mortal ears might hardly endure the din?

Not possible. For who shall bear your part
And be in Padua here Vincentio’s son,
Keep house, and ply his book, welcome his friends,
Visit his countrymen and banquet them?

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.

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.

But, sirrah, not for my sake, but your master’s, I advise
You use your manners discreetly in all kind of companies.

Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray?

And tell me now, sweet friend, what happy gale
Blows you to Padua here from old Verona?

Her father is Baptista Minola,
An affable and courteous gentleman.

I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her,
And therefore let me be thus bold with you
To give you over at this first encounter—
Unless you will accompany me thither.

A proper stripling, and an amorous.

O, very well, I have perused the note.

’Tis well. And I have met a gentleman
Hath promised me to help me to another,
A fine musician to instruct our mistress.
So shall I no whit be behind in duty
To fair Bianca, so beloved of me.

I know she is an irksome, brawling scold.

Why came I hither but to that intent?
Think you a little din can daunt mine ears?

Have I not heard the sea, puffed 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?

If I may be bold,
Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way
To the house of Signior Baptista Minola?

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,
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.

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.

Sir, I shall not be slack; in sign whereof,
Please you 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.

Sir, I shall not be slack; in sign whereof,
Please you 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.

Sir, I shall not be slack; in sign whereof,
Please you 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.