Conditions for the Publician Action and Pending Usucapion — Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian Book 6 (6.2.1.pr–6.2.1.2), Latin & English

[ULPIANUS libro sexto decimo ad edictum.]

§6.2.1.pr

Ait praetor: 'Si quis id quod traditur ex iusta causa non a domino¹ et nondum usucaptum petet, iudicium dabo.'

The praetor says: ‘If anyone sues for that which has been delivered on a lawful ground, but not by the owner, and has not yet been acquired by usucapion, I will grant an action.’

§6.2.1.1

Merito praetor ait 'nondum usucaptum': nam si usucaptum est, habet ciuilem actionem nec desiderat honorariam.

With good reason the praetor says ‘not yet acquired by usucapion’: for if it has been acquired by usucapion, he has a civil action and does not need an honorary one.

§6.2.1.2

Sed cur traditionis dumtaxat et usucapionis fecit mentionem, cum satis multae sunt iuris partes, quibus dominium quis nancisceretur?² ut puta legatum

But why did he make mention only of delivery and usucapion, when there are quite many areas of law by which one might acquire ownership? For instance, a legacy.

Syntax notes2 items

6.2.1.prid quod traditur ex iusta causa non a domino
Both the ablative phrase ex iusta causa ('on a lawful ground') and non a domino ('not by the owner') modify the verb traditur within the relative clause. The entire relative clause id quod... functions as the modifier of id, which is the object of petet (future indicative, acting as the protasis of the conditional sentence).
6.2.1.2cum satis multae sunt iuris partes, quibus dominium quis nancisceretur
cum is a concessive conjunction ('although', 'when on the contrary'). The relative pronoun quibus is an ablative of means referring back to iuris partes, and the subjunctive imperfect nancisceretur expresses potentiality or characterizes the clauses.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-07-12)urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:6.2.1.pr-6.2.1.2