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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §1.18.7.pr

Governor's Duty to Compel Building Repairs and Preserve Urban Appearance

Passage 209 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

On the duty of the provincial governor to inspect buildings, compel their owners to repair them, and remedy any unsightliness in the city.

[IDEM libro tertio opinionum. ] §1.18.7.prPraeses prouinciae inspectis aedificiis dominos eorum causa cognita reficere ea compellat et aduersus detractantem competenti remedio deformitati auxilium ferat.
[The same, in the third book of Opinions.] The governor of a province, having inspected the buildings, should, after investigating the case, compel their owners to repair them, and against anyone who refuses, he should bring aid to the unsightliness by an appropriate remedy.

Notes

  1. §1.18.7.prcausa cognita — An ablative absolute construction, which in legal contexts means "after due investigation of the case" or "after a formal hearing." It indicates that the governor must not act arbitrarily but must conduct a proper inquiry (cognitio).
  2. §1.18.7.prdeformitati auxilium ferat — The dative deformitati serves as the object of auxilium ferre (to bring aid/relief). Here, deformitas (unsightliness) refers to the ruined state of buildings that spoils the appearance of the city, and the phrase means that the governor should remedy this unsightliness using an appropriate legal measure (competenti remedio).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §1.18.7.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:1.18.7.pr

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