Fam. 7.5

[Lavrentivs]

2.10--3.1:

Mitto igitur ad te Trebatium atque ita mitto ut initio mea sponte, post autem invitatu tuo mittendum duxerim.

This puzzles me, and I cannot find a better translation than:

I send you Trabatium*, then, and in such a manner, that first I thought that he was to be sent on my initiative, but later on your invitation.

The part I don't like is "in such a manner".

* Hanc indulgentiam mihi permitte.

[Baker]

I take that ita to be a preface to the following two purpose clauses; so, ..."and these are the reasons why I am sending him, first because ..., and moreover/second because ...

Your first clause, viz., "...that first I thought that he was to be sent on my initiative...," is a bit too wordy for idiomatic English.

I think the gist is more like: "first it was my will and, moreover, you invited him." I don't think your "later" is the right word here.

[adrianus]

Maybe this // Ita forsit:

So I am sending Trebatius to you and I do so just as I, on my own bat, reckoned he ought to be sent to you from the start, despite/besides however being asked.

Maybe you saw this, Baker:
Fortassè hoc vidisti, Pistor:

I therefore send you Trebatius, and on two grounds, first that it was my spontaneous idea to send him, and secondly because you have invited me to do so.

I don't see "first" and "second". // Primo secundo verba exfugiunt.

[Baker]

Maybe this // Ita forsit:

So I am sending Trebatius to you and I do so just as I, on my own bat, reckoned he ought to be sent to you from the start, despite/besides however being asked.

I like it! However, consider the letter from the beginning and I believe you will change your translation. You do get the tone of Cicero quite nicely though.

[adrianus]

Yes, I read it through, Baker, and I would say this now:
Ita, Pistor, eam perlegi et sic nunc vertam:

So I am sending Trebatius to you and that I do as I initially independently reckoned he ought to be sent to you, though afterwards I was asked.