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No Fear Shakespheare

The Taming of the Shrew

William Shakespeare

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Act 1, Scene 2, Page 2

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PETRUCHIO
Now knock when I bid you, sirrah villain.
 PETRUCHIO
Next time maybe you’ll knock when I tell you, punk kid!
Enter HORTENSIO
HORTENSIO enters.

HORTENSIO
How now, what’s the matter? My old friend Grumio and my good friend Petruchio? How do you all at Verona?
 HORTENSIO
Say, what’s the trouble? If it isn’t my old friend Grumio—and my dear friend Petruchio! How’s everyone in Verona?


20		 PETRUCHIO
Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray?
Con tutto il cuore, ben trovato, may I say.
 PETRUCHIO
Hortensio, have you come to break up the fight? Con tutto il cuore ben trovato, if I may say so.


HORTENSIO
Alla nostra casa ben venuto, molto honorato signor mio
Petruchio.—Rise, Grumio, rise. We will compound this quarrel.
 HORTENSIO
Alla nostra casa ben venuto, molto honorato signor mio Petruchio! Get up, Grumio. We’ll settle this quarrel.



25		 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 knocked at first,
Then had not Grumio come by the worst.
 GRUMIO
I don’t care what he told you in Latin. If this isn’t legal justification for me to leave his service, I don’t know what is. He tells me to knock him, pound him, and put my fists to work on him. Well, I ask you, was that any way for a servant to behave toward his master—especially when he’s clearly a bit crazy. I wish I had hit him. I think I’d feel a lot better.



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.
 PETRUCHIO
He’s a worthless dog, Hortensio. I told him to knock at your gate and for the life of me could not get him 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”?
 GRUMIO
Knock at the gate? Oh, for Pete’s sake! Didn’t you clearly say “Knock,” “pound,” and “put your fists to work”? Now you say it was “Knock at the gate”?

30		 PETRUCHIO
Sirrah, begone or talk not, I advise you.
 PETRUCHIO
Grumio, either leave or shut up. I’m warning you.
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