- Source
- Digesta Iustiniani Augusti. Mommsen, Theodor & Krueger, Paul, editors. Berlin: Weidmann, 1870.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:9.4.40.pr
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-15
This section explains that if a bequeathed slave steals the future heir's personal property before the inheritance is accepted, an action for theft lies against the legatee, whereas if the slave steals unaccepted inherited property, only an action for production is available.
[IDEM libro uicensimo secundo digestorum.]
[THE SAME, Digests, Book XXII.]
Si seruus legatus ante aditam hereditatem1 rem heredis futuri subtraxerit, poterit is cum legatario qui legatum agnouerit furti agere:2 sed si idem seruus hereditariam rem3 subtraxerit, furti actio cessabit, quia huiusmodi rerum furtum non fit: ad exhibendum autem actio competit.
If a bequeathed slave, before the inheritance is accepted, steals property belonging to the future heir, the latter can bring an action for theft against the legatee who has accepted the legacy; but if the same slave steals property belonging to the inheritance, the action for theft will not lie, because theft of property of this kind does not take place; on the other hand, an action for production is available.
- 9.4.40.prante aditam hereditatem
The preposition ante governs the noun hereditatem with the perfect passive participle aditam (from adire, "to accept"), expressing the event "before the inheritance is accepted" (the so-called ab urbe condita construction).
- 9.4.40.prfurti agere
The verb agere (here meaning "to bring an action") takes the genitive of the crime/charge furti (genitive of furtum, "theft"), meaning "to bring an action for theft."
- 9.4.40.prhereditariam rem
Under Roman law, property belonging to an inheritance that has not yet been accepted (the hereditas iacens) cannot be the object of theft (furtum), because there is no definite owner at that moment. Thus, instead of the furti actio (action for theft), the actio ad exhibendum (action for production) is available to compel the physical production and subsequent recovery of the property.