New poems and variant readings/Ad Nepotem

by Robert Louis Stevenson

AD NEPOTEM

O Nepos, twice my neigh(b)our (since at home
We're door by door, by Flora's temple dome;
And in the country, still conjoined by fate,
Behold our villas standing gate by gate),
Thou hast a daughter, dearer far than life—
Thy image and the image of thy wife.
Thy image and thy wife's, and be it so!

But why for her,	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$	neglect the flowing	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	can
		O Nepos, leave the

And lose the prime of thy Falernian?
Hoard casks of money, if to hoard be thine;
But let thy daughter drink a younger wine!
Let her go rich and wise, in silk and fur;

Lay down a	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$	bin that shall	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	grow old with her;
		vintage to

But thou, meantime, the while the batch is sound,
With pleased companions pass the bowl around;
Nor let the childless only taste delights,
For Fathers also may enjoy their nights.