SCENE II. Padua. Before HORTENSIO'S house. The Taming of the Shrew  Shakespeare homepage  |  Taming of the Shrew  | Act 1, Scene 2 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE II. Padua. Before HORTENSIO'S house. 

 Enter PETRUCHIO and his man GRUMIO  PETRUCHIO  Verona, for a while I take my leave, 

 To see my friends in Padua, but of all 

 My best beloved and approved friend, 

 Hortensio; and I trow this is his house. 

 Here, sirrah Grumio; knock, I say. 

 GRUMIO  Knock, sir! whom should I knock? is there man has 

 rebused your worship? 

 PETRUCHIO  Villain, I say, knock me here soundly. 

 GRUMIO  Knock you here, sir! why, sir, what am I, sir, that 

 I should knock you here, sir? 

 PETRUCHIO  Villain, I say, knock me at this gate 

 And rap me well, or I'll knock your knave's pate. 

 GRUMIO  My master is grown quarrelsome. I should knock 

 you first, 

 And then I know after who comes by the worst. 

 PETRUCHIO  Will it not be? 

 Faith, sirrah, an you'll not knock, I'll ring it; 

 I'll try how you can sol, fa, and sing it. 



 He wrings him by the ears  GRUMIO  Help, masters, help! my master is mad. 

 PETRUCHIO  Now, knock when I bid you, sirrah villain! 



 Enter HORTENSIO  HORTENSIO  How now! what's the matter? My old friend Grumio! 

 and my good friend Petruchio! How do you all at Verona? 

 PETRUCHIO  Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray? 

 'Con tutto il cuore, ben trovato,' may I say. 

 HORTENSIO  'Alla nostra casa ben venuto, molto honorato signor 

 mio Petruchio.' Rise, Grumio, rise: we will compound 

 this quarrel. 

 GRUMIO  Nay, 'tis no matter, sir, what he 'leges in Latin. 

 if this be not a lawful case for me to leave his 

 service, look you, sir, he bid me knock him and rap 

 him soundly, sir: well, was it fit for a servant to 

 use his master so, being perhaps, for aught I see, 

 two and thirty, a pip out? Whom would to God I had 

 well knock'd at first, Then had not Grumio come by the worst. 

 PETRUCHIO  A senseless villain! Good Hortensio, 

 I bade the rascal knock upon your gate 

 And could not get him for my heart to do it. 

 GRUMIO  Knock at the gate! O heavens! Spake you not these 

 words plain, 'Sirrah, knock me here, rap me here, 

 knock me well, and knock me soundly'? And come you 

 now with, 'knocking at the gate'? 

 PETRUCHIO  Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advise you. 

 HORTENSIO  Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio's pledge: 

 Why, this's a heavy chance 'twixt him and you, 

 Your ancient, trusty, pleasant servant Grumio. 

 And tell me now, sweet friend, what happy gale 

 Blows you to Padua here from old Verona? 

 PETRUCHIO  Such wind as scatters young men through the world, 

 To seek their fortunes farther than at home 

 Where small experience grows. But in a few, 

 Signior Hortensio, thus it stands with me: 

 Antonio, my father, is deceased; 

 And I have thrust myself into this maze, 

 Haply to wive and thrive as best I may: 

 Crowns in my purse I have and goods at home, 

 And so am come abroad to see the world. 

 HORTENSIO  Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to thee 

 And wish thee to a shrewd ill-favour'd wife? 

 Thou'ldst thank me but a little for my counsel: 

 And yet I'll promise thee she shall be rich 

 And very rich: but thou'rt too much my friend, 

 And I'll not wish thee to her. 

 PETRUCHIO  Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends as we 

 Few words suffice; and therefore, if thou know 

 One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife, 

 As wealth is burden of my wooing dance, 

 Be she as foul as was Florentius' love, 

 As old as Sibyl and as curst and shrewd 

 As Socrates' Xanthippe, or a worse, 

 She moves me not, or not removes, at least, 

 Affection's edge in me, were she as rough 

 As are the swelling Adriatic seas: 

 I come to wive it wealthily in Padua; 

 If wealthily, then happily in Padua. 

 GRUMIO  Nay, look you, sir, he tells you flatly what his 

 mind is: Why give him gold enough and marry him to 

 a puppet or an aglet-baby; or an old trot with ne'er 

 a tooth in her head, though she have as many diseases 

 as two and fifty horses: why, nothing comes amiss, 

 so money comes withal. 

 HORTENSIO  Petruchio, since we are stepp'd thus far in, 

 I will continue that I broach'd in jest. 

 I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife 

 With wealth enough and young and beauteous, 

 Brought up as best becomes a gentlewoman: 

 Her only fault, and that is faults enough, 

 Is that she is intolerable curst 

 And shrewd and froward, so beyond all measure 

 That, were my state far worser than it is, 

 I would not wed her for a mine of gold. 

 PETRUCHIO  Hortensio, peace! thou know'st not gold's effect: 

 Tell me her father's name and 'tis enough; 

 For I will board her, though she chide as loud 

 As thunder when the clouds in autumn crack. 

 HORTENSIO  Her father is Baptista Minola, 

 An affable and courteous gentleman: 

 Her name is Katharina Minola, 

 Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue. 

 PETRUCHIO  I know her father, though I know not her; 

 And he knew my deceased father well. 

 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. 

 GRUMIO  I pray you, sir, let him go while the humour lasts. 

 O' my word, an she knew him as well as I do, she 

 would think scolding would do little good upon him: 

 she may perhaps call him half a score knaves or so: 

 why, that's nothing; an he begin once, he'll rail in 

 his rope-tricks. I'll tell you what sir, an she 

 stand him but a little, he will throw a figure in 

 her face and so disfigure her with it that she 

 shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat. 

 You know him not, sir. 

 HORTENSIO  Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee, 

 For in Baptista's keep my treasure is: 

 He hath the jewel of my life in hold, 

 His youngest daughter, beautiful Binaca, 

 And her withholds from me and other more, 

 Suitors to her and rivals in my love, 

 Supposing it a thing impossible, 

 For those defects I have before rehearsed, 

 That ever Katharina will be woo'd; 

 Therefore this order hath Baptista ta'en, 

 That none shall have access unto Bianca 

 Till Katharina the curst have got a husband. 

 GRUMIO  Katharina the curst! 

 A title for a maid of all titles the worst. 

 HORTENSIO  Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace, 

 And offer me disguised in sober robes 

 To old Baptista as a schoolmaster 

 Well seen in music, to instruct Bianca; 

 That so I may, by this device, at least 

 Have leave and leisure to make love to her 

 And unsuspected court her by herself. 

 GRUMIO  Here's no knavery! See, to beguile the old folks, 

 how the young folks lay their heads together! 



 Enter GREMIO, and LUCENTIO disguised  Master, master, look about you: who goes there, ha? 

 HORTENSIO  Peace, Grumio! it is the rival of my love. 

 Petruchio, stand by a while. 

 GRUMIO  A proper stripling and an amorous! 

 GREMIO  O, very well; I have perused the note. 

 Hark you, sir: I'll have them very fairly bound: 

 All books of love, see that at any hand; 

 And see you read no other lectures to her: 

 You understand me: over and beside 

 Signior Baptista's liberality, 

 I'll mend it with a largess. Take your paper too, 

 And let me have them very well perfumed 

 For she is sweeter than perfume itself 

 To whom they go to. What will you read to her? 

 LUCENTIO  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. 

 GREMIO  O this learning, what a thing it is! 

 GRUMIO  O this woodcock, what an ass it is! 

 PETRUCHIO  Peace, sirrah! 

 HORTENSIO  Grumio, mum! God save you, Signior Gremio. 

 GREMIO  And you are well met, Signior Hortensio. 

 Trow you whither I am going? To Baptista Minola. 

 I promised to inquire carefully 

 About a schoolmaster for the fair Bianca: 

 And by good fortune I have lighted well 

 On this young man, for learning and behavior 

 Fit for her turn, well read in poetry 

 And other books, good ones, I warrant ye. 

 HORTENSIO  '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. 

 GREMIO  Beloved of me; and that my deeds shall prove. 

 GRUMIO  And that his bags shall prove. 

 HORTENSIO  Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love: 

 Listen to me, and if you speak me fair, 

 I'll tell you news indifferent good for either. 

 Here is a gentleman whom by chance I met, 

 Upon agreement from us to his liking, 

 Will undertake to woo curst Katharina, 

 Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please. 

 GREMIO  So said, so done, is well. 

 Hortensio, have you told him all her faults? 

 PETRUCHIO  I know she is an irksome brawling scold: 

 If that be all, masters, I hear no harm. 

 GREMIO  No, say'st me so, friend? What countryman? 

 PETRUCHIO  Born in Verona, old Antonio's son: 

 My father dead, my fortune lives for me; 

 And I do hope good days and long to see. 

 GREMIO  O sir, such a life, with such a wife, were strange! 

 But if you have a stomach, to't i' God's name: 

 You shall have me assisting you in all. 

 But will you woo this wild-cat? 

 PETRUCHIO  Will I live? 

 GRUMIO  Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her. 

 PETRUCHIO  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 chafed 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 hear 

 As will a chestnut in a farmer's fire? 

 Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs. 

 GRUMIO  For he fears none. 

 GREMIO  Hortensio, hark: 

 This gentleman is happily arrived, 

 My mind presumes, for his own good and ours. 

 HORTENSIO  I promised we would be contributors 

 And bear his charging of wooing, whatsoe'er. 

 GREMIO  And so we will, provided that he win her. 

 GRUMIO  I would I were as sure of a good dinner. 



 Enter TRANIO brave, and BIONDELLO  TRANIO  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? 

 BIONDELLO  He that has the two fair daughters: is't he you mean? 

 TRANIO  Even he, Biondello. 

 GREMIO  Hark you, sir; you mean not her to-- 

 TRANIO  Perhaps, him and her, sir: what have you to do? 

 PETRUCHIO  Not her that chides, sir, at any hand, I pray. 

 TRANIO  I love no chiders, sir. Biondello, let's away. 

 LUCENTIO  Well begun, Tranio. 

 HORTENSIO  Sir, a word ere you go; 

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

 TRANIO  And if I be, sir, is it any offence? 

 GREMIO  No; if without more words you will get you hence. 

 TRANIO  Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free 

 For me as for you? 

 GREMIO  But so is not she. 

 TRANIO  For what reason, I beseech you? 

 GREMIO  For this reason, if you'll know, 

 That she's the choice love of Signior Gremio. 

 HORTENSIO  That she's the chosen of Signior Hortensio. 

 TRANIO  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. 

 GREMIO  What! this gentleman will out-talk us all. 

 LUCENTIO  Sir, give him head: I know he'll prove a jade. 

 PETRUCHIO  Hortensio, to what end are all these words? 

 HORTENSIO  Sir, let me be so bold as ask you, 

 Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter? 

 TRANIO  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. 

 PETRUCHIO  Sir, sir, the first's for me; let her go by. 

 GREMIO  Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules; 

 And let it be more than Alcides' twelve. 

 PETRUCHIO  Sir, understand you this of me in sooth: 

 The younges t 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. 

 TRANIO  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. 

 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 beholding. 

 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  BIONDELLO  O excellent motion! Fellows, let's be gone. 

 HORTENSIO  The motion's good indeed and be it so, 

 Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto. 



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