Frage:

von poietikos, 2021-05-05, 18:35   Spam?  88.103.231....

Statt einer gemeinsamer Lesung entschloss ich mich zwei zu geben, um den allzugroßen Andrang zu verteilen. ... Trotzdem sind die Teilnehmer so zahlreich, dass ich auf den Gedanken verzichten muss, die Lesungen bei mir zu halten.

Instead of one common seminar, I decided to give two in order to divide the excessive crowd. ... Nonethelss, the participants are so numerous that I must forgo the thought of keeping [retaining, maintain?] the seminars [for myself?].

My understanding of these sentences is that he gave two seminars instead of one in order to divide the number of students. But the number of students is still so large that he can't give them. Did I get this right? The phrase "bei mir zu halten" is difficult for me.