Letter 419: You are in possession of my work and free to return it slowly -- or keep it, if you wish.

To Bacchius (355). You are the master of what is mine, both to return it slowly and to keep hold of it, should you so wish. And as for what I said to you also when you were present: I believe that you suppose there is some excellence in my writings; yet I fear that this very thing may bring you a worse reputation. For I myself am nothing hallowed, whereas the apes, by aping, are merely doing what is their own nature. Let us not, then, find fault with them.

Βακχίῳ. (355) Σὺ τῶν ἐμῶν κύριος βραδέως τε ἀποδοῦναι καὶ κατα- σχεῖν, εἰ βούλοιο. ὃ δὲ καὶ πρὸς παρόντα ἔφην, οἴεσθαι μέν σε κάλλος ἐνεῖναι τοῖς ἐμοῖς πιστεύω· δέδοικα μέντοι μή σοι τοῦτό τὴν χείρω δόξαν ἐνέγκῃ. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἱερόν, οἱ δὲ πίθηκοι πιθηκίζοντες τὰ αὑτῶν ποιοῦσι. μὴ τοίνυν αὐτοὺς μεμφώμεθα.