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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §1.3.31.pr

Exemption of the Emperor from Law and Empress's Privileges

Passage 50 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Explains that the Emperor is exempt from the laws, and that although the Empress is not herself exempt, the emperors grant her the same privileges they possess.

[IDEM libro XIII ad legem Iuliam et Papiam. ] §1.3.31.prPrinceps legibus solutus est: Augusta autem licet legibus soluta non est, principes tamen eadem illi priuilegia tribuunt, quae ipsi habent.
[THE SAME, On the Lex Julia et Papia, book 13] The Emperor is exempt from the laws; and although the Empress is not exempt from the laws, nevertheless the emperors bestow upon her the same privileges which they themselves possess.

Notes

  1. §1.3.31.prlegibus solutus — legibus is an ablative of separation (plural) dependent on the adjective solutus ('released', 'exempt'). This phrase expresses the famous Roman public law principle that 'the emperor is exempt from the laws' (legibus solutus).
  2. §1.3.31.prlicet legibus soluta non est — The conjunction licet ('although', 'granted that') typically takes the subjunctive in classical Latin prose, but here it is constructed with the indicative est. This usage reflects a conflation with other concessive conjunctions (such as quamquam) or late Latin influence.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §1.3.31.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:1.3.31.pr

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