Enter LUCENTIO disguised as
CAMBIO, HORTENSIO disguised as
LITIO, and BIANCA
BIANCA enters with
LUCENTIO disguised as CAMBIO, and
HORTENSIO disguised as
LITIO
LUCENTIO
(as
CAMBIO) Fiddler, forbear. You grow
too forward, sir.
Have you so soon forgot the entertainment
Her sister Katherina welcomed you withal?
LUCENTIO
(speaking as
CAMBIO) Restrain yourself, fiddler!
You're too insistent. Have you forgotten how her sister
Katherine thanked you for your lessons?
HORTENSIO
(as
LITIO) But, wrangling pedant, this is
5
The patroness of heavenly harmony.
Then give me leave to have prerogative,
And when in music we have spent an hour,
Your lecture shall have leisure for as much.
HORTENSIO
(speaking as
LITIO) Quarrelsome teacher! This lady
is the queen of heavenly harmony. Therefore allow me to claim her
attention first, and after we have spent an hour on music you can
have equal time for your lecture.
LUCENTIO
(as
CAMBIO) Preposterous ass, that never
read so far
10
To know the cause why music was ordained.
Was it not to refresh the mind of man
After his studies or his usual pain?
Then give me leave to read philosophy
And, while I pause, serve in your harmony.
LUCENTIO
(as
CAMBIO) Ridiculous ass!
You're not even educated enough to know why music was
created. Wasn't it to refresh the mind of man
after his studies and daily toil?
Therefore allow me to read philosophy with her, and then, when I am
finished, indulge in your harmony.
HORTENSIO
15
(as
LITIO) Sirrah, I will not bear these
braves of thine.
HORTENSIO
(as
LITIO) Sir, you go too far! I will
not stand for it!
BIANCA
Why, gentlemen, you do me double wrong
To strive for that which resteth in my choice.
I am no breeching scholar in the schools.
I'll not be tied to hours nor 'pointed times
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But learn my lessons as I please myself.
And, to cut off all strife, here sit we down.
BIANCA
Gentlemen, it seems to me you're both out of line to be
laying down the law about things that are really up to me. I am no
schoolboy, and I won't be dictated to with hours and
schedules. I'll have my lessons in the order and manner
I prefer. So to cut short this
argument, let's figure this out.
