Commentary on the Heroides of Ovid

[93] Hoc quoque quod ius est. Manuscripts differ greatly as to the manner of reading this line. Some have, Hoc quoque quod iussit, sit scriptum injwia nostrum. Others, Hoc quoque quod jussit senplum est injunia nestri, or nostra, or nostrum. Again: Hoc quoque quod vis sit: hoc quod opus iussit. Heinsius, after weighing them all, proposes as the most likely reading, “Hoc quoque cum ius sit, sit scriptum injuria
nostrum.
”

But, at the same time, he is so dissatisfied with the uncertainty of the thing, that he is for rejecting the whole distich. Amidst so much confusion and variety, it was no easy matter to give any tolerable meaning to the words. I was therefore chiefly concerned to study their connection with what follows, as thinking that a more likely way to attain some consistent sense. I leave it to the reader to judge whether I have succeeded tolerably.

Sit scriptum. The reading, according to which I have translated it, is this: “Hoc quod amor iussit, sit scriptum injuria nostrum.
”

"But allow that the words I wrote, induced by love, are an injury." Sit scriptum, i. e. Illud scriptum nostrum in pomo, sit injuria in te.