Explore "Ad Nepotem" by Robert Louis Stevenson on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
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, [ neglect the flowing / O Nepos, leave the ] can
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 [ bin that shall / vintage to ] grow old with her;
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.