The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)

by William Shakespeare

  TRANIO. No, sir, but hear I do that he hath two,

  No, sir, but I hear that he has two,

  The one as famous for a scolding tongue

  And one is as famous for a scolding tongue

  As is the other for beauteous modesty.

  As the other is for beautiful humility.

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

  GREMIO. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules,

  Yes, leave that task to great Hercules,

  And let it be more than Alcides' twelve.

  And let it be harder than the twelve Alcides gave [Hercules].

  PETRUCHIO. Sir, understand you this of me, in sooth:

  Sir, understand this from me, in truth:

  The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for,

  The youngest daughter, whom you desire,

  Her father keeps from all access of suitors,

  Her father keeps away from all suitors,

  And will not promise her to any man

  Until the elder sister first be wed;

  Until the elder sister is first married;

  The younger then is free, and not before.

  The younger will then be free, and not before.

  TRANIO. If it be so, sir, that you are the man

  If it is true, sir, that you are the man

  Must stead us all, and me amongst the rest;

  Who must help us all, and me among the rest;

  And if you break the ice, and do this feat,

  And if you break the ice, and accomplish this task,

  Achieve the elder, set the younger free

  For our access, whose hap shall be to have her

  For our access, whose fate shall be to have her

  Will not so graceless be to be ingrate.

  Will not be so rude as to be ungrateful.

  HORTENSIO. Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive;

  Sir, you speak well, and you think well too;

  And since you do profess to be a suitor,

  And since you announce yourself to be a suitor,

  You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman,

  To whom we all rest generally beholding.

  To whom we are indebted.

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

  Sir, I shall not be lacking; and to make a sign of it,

  Please ye we may contrive this afternoon,

  Please may we spend time together this afternoon,

  And quaff carouses to our mistress' health;

  And drink toasts to our ladies' health;

  And do as adversaries do in law,

  And act as rivals do in law,

  Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.

  Try hard against each other, but eat and drink as friends.

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

  Oh excellent idea! Fellows, let's go.

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

  The idea is good indeed, and let it happen: --

  Petruchio, I shall be your ben venuto.

  Petruchio, I shall be your treat.

  [Exeunt.]

  Padua. A room in BAPTISTA'S house

  [Enter KATHERINA and BIANCA.]

  BIANCA. Good sister, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself,

  Good sister, do not do me wrong, and do not wrong yourself either,

  To make a bondmaid and a slave of me;

  To make a servant girl and a slave of me;

  That I disdain; but for these other gawds,

  That I disapprove of; but as for these other decorations,

  Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself,

  Untie my hands; I'll pull them off myself,

  Yea, all my raiment, to my petticoat;

  Yes, all my clothes, down to my underwear;

  Or what you will command me will I do,

  Or I will do whatever you command me,

  So well I know my duty to my elders.

  I know my duty to my elders that well.

  KATHERINA. Of all thy suitors here I charge thee tell

  Of all your suitors here, I order you to tell

  Whom thou lov'st best: see thou dissemble not.

  Whom you love best: and don't lie to me.

  BIANCA. Believe me, sister, of all the men alive

  I never yet beheld that special face

  I have never yet seen that special face

  Which I could fancy more than any other.

  Which I could desire more than any other.

  KATHERINA. Minion, thou liest. Is't not Hortensio?

  Minion, you are lying. Is it not Hortensio?

  BIANCA. If you affect him, sister, here I swear I'll plead for you myself but you shall have him.

  If you are fond of him, sister, here I swear I'll plead for you myself so you shall have him.

  KATHERINA. O! then, belike, you fancy riches more:

  Oh, then perhaps you desire riches more:

  You will have Gremio to keep you fair.

  You will have Gremio to keep you beautiful.

  BIANCA. Is it for him you do envy me so?

  Is it because of him that you envy me so much?

  Nay, then you jest; and now I well perceive

  No, that means you're joking; and now I can tell

  You have but jested with me all this while:

  You've only been joking with me all this time:

  I prithee, sister Kate, untie my hands.

  I beg you, sister Kate, untie my hands.

  KATHERINA. If that be jest, then an the rest was so.

  If that is a joke, then the rest was too.

  [Strikes her.]

  [Hits her.]

  [Enter BAPTISTA.]

  BAPTISTA. Why, how now, dame!

  Why, what's going on, woman?!

  Whence grows this insolence? Bianca, stand aside.

  Where doest this rudeness come from? Bianca, stand aside.

  Poor girl! she weeps. Go ply thy needle; meddle not with her.

  Poor girl! She cries. Go to your embroidery; stop messing with her.

  For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit,

  For shame, you offspring of an evil spirit,

  Why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee?

  Why do you wrong her that never did you wrong?

  When did she cross thee with a bitter word?

  When did she ever insult or attack you?

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

  It is her silence that insults me, and I'll have my revenge.

  [Flies after BIANCA.]

  [Chases after BIANCA.]

  BAPTISTA. What! in my sight? Bianca, get thee in.

  What? Even when I'm watching! Bianca, go inside.

  [Exit BIANCA.]

  KATHERINA. What! will you not suffer me? Nay, now I see

  What? Will you not endure me? No, now I see

  She is your treasure, she must have a husband;

  I must dance bare-foot on her wedding-day,

  And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell.

  And, for your love of her, lead apes in hell.

  Talk not to me: I will go sit and weep

  Do not talk to me: I will go sit and cry

  Till I can find occasion of revenge.

  Until I can find a chance for revenge.

  [Exit.]

  BAPTISTA. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd as I? But who comes here?

  Was a nobleman ever as troubled as I? But who comes here?

  [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.]

  [Enter GREMIO, with LUCENTIO in the clothes of a poor man; PETRUCHIO, with HORTENSIO as a musician; and TRANIO, with BIONDELLO carrying a lute and books.]

  GREMIO. Good morrow, neighbour Baptista.

  Good day, neighbor Baptista.

  BAPTISTA. Good mor
row, neighbour Gremio. God save you, gentlemen!

  Good day, neighbor Gremio. God save you, gentlemen!

  PETRUCHIO. And you, good sir! Pray, have you not a daughter

  And you, good sir! Please tell me, don't you have a daughter

  Call'd Katherina, fair and virtuous?

  Called Katherina, beautiful and good?

  BAPTISTA. I have a daughter, sir, call'd Katherina.

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

  Your are too blunt: be more refined about it.

  PETRUCHIO. You wrong me, Signior Gremio: give me leave.

  You wrong me, Sir Gremio: give me a chance.

  I am a gentleman of Verona, sir,

  I am a nobleman of Verona, sir,

  That, hearing of her beauty and her wit,

  That, hearing of her beauty and her intelligence,

  Her affability and bashful modesty,

  Her pleasantness and humility,

  Her wondrous qualities and mild behaviour,

  Her wonderful qualities and quiet behavior,

  Am bold to show myself a forward guest

  Am bold enough to make myself a guest

  Within your house, to make mine eye the witness

  Within your house, to make myself a witness

  Of that report which I so oft have heard.

  Of that report which I so often have heard.

  And, for an entrance to my entertainment,

  And, in exchange for hosting me,

  I do present you with a man of mine,

  I now present you with one of my servants,

  [Presenting HORTENSIO.]

  Cunning in music and the mathematics,

  Clever in music and mathematics,

  To instruct her fully in those sciences,

  To instruct her fully in those fields,

  Whereof I know she is not ignorant.

  Where I am aware she has some knowledge.

  Accept of him, or else you do me wrong:

  Accept him, or else you do me wrong:

  His name is Licio, born in Mantua.

  His name is Licio, born in Mantua.

  BAPTISTA. You're welcome, sir, and he for your good sake;

  You're welcome, sir, and he is too for your sake;

  But for my daughter Katherine, this I know,

  Except when it comes to my daughter Katherine, this I know,

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

  She is not for you, I'm afraid.

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

  I see you do not mean to separate from her;

  Or else you like not of my company.

  Or else you do not like my company.

  BAPTISTA. Mistake me not; I speak but as I find. Whence are you, sir? What may I call your name?

  Do not misunderstand me; I only say what I believe. Where do you come from, sir? What is your name?

  PETRUCHIO. Petruchio is my name, Antonio's son;

  A man well known throughout all Italy.

  BAPTISTA. I know him well: you are welcome for his sake.

  GREMIO. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray,

  Save it, Petruchio, please,

  Let us, that are poor petitioners, speak too.

  Let us, that are poor beggars, speak too.

  Backare! you are marvellous forward.

  My goodness! You aren't very polite about it.

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

  Oh, pardon me, Sir Gremio; I would rather be doing.

  GREMIO. I doubt it not, sir; but you will curse your wooing. Neighbour, 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, freely give unto you this young scholar, [Presenting LUCENTIO.] that has 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.

  I do not doubt it, sir; but you will curse your wooing. Neighbor, this is a gift for which you will be very grateful, I am sure of it. To express similar kindness, myself, that have been kinder to you than any, I freely give to you this young scholar, [Presenting LUCENTIO.] that has studied at Rheims for a long time; he is as clever in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other is in music and mathematics. His name is Cambio; please accept his service.

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

  A thousand thanks, Sir Gremio; welcome, good Cambio. -- [To TRANIO.] But, gentle sir, I think you walk like a stranger: may I ask why you have come here?

  TRANIO. Pardon me, sir, the boldness is mine own,

  Pardon me sir, the boldness is my own,

  That, being a stranger in this city here,

  Do make myself a suitor to your daughter,

  Unto Bianca, fair and virtuous.

  To Bianca, beautiful and virtuous.

  Nor is your firm resolve unknown to me,

  And I am aware of your decision

  In the preferment of the eldest sister.

  In favor of the eldest sister.

  This liberty is all that I request,

  This freedom is all that I request,

  That, upon knowledge of my parentage,

  That, once you know of my family,

  I may have welcome 'mongst the rest that woo,

  I may be welcome among the rest that woo,

  And free access and favour as the rest:

  And as much access and favor as the rest:

  And, toward the education of your daughters,

  I here bestow a simple instrument,

  I here give you the gift of a simple musical instrument,

  And this small packet of Greek and Latin books:

  And this small bag of Greek and Latin books:

  If you accept them, then their worth is great.

  If you accept them, then they have much worth.

  BAPTISTA. Lucentio is your name, of whence, I pray?

  Lucentio is your name, from where, may I ask?

  TRANIO. Of Pisa, sir; son to Vincentio.

  BAPTISTA. A mighty man of Pisa: by report I know him well: you are very welcome, sir.

  A mighty man of Pisa: I know him by reputation: you are very welcome, sir.

  [To HORTENSIO.]

  Take you the lute,

  You take the lute,

  [To LUCENTIO.] and you the set of books;

  You shall go see your pupils presently. Holla, within!

  You shall go see your students in a moment. Hello, you people inside!

  [Enter a SERVANT.]

  Sirrah, lead these gentlemen

  My man, lead these noblemen

  To my two daughters, and tell them both

  These are their tutors: bid them use them well.

  These are their tutors: tell them to treat them well.

  [Exit SERVANT, with HORTENSIO, LUCENTIO, and BIONDELLO.]

  We will go walk a little in the orchard,

  And then to dinner. You are passing welcome,

  And then to dinner. You are most welcome,

  And so I pray you all to think yourselves.