Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §11.3.15.pr

Corruption by Persuading a Slave to Despise His Master

Passage 1785 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Explains that a slave's mind is considered corrupted even if he is merely persuaded to despise his master.

[GAIUS libro sexto ad edictum prouinciale. ] §11.3.15.prCorrumpitur animus serui et si persuadeatur ei, ut dominum contemneret.
[GAIUS, from the sixth book on the Provincial Edict.] The mind of a slave is corrupted also if he is persuaded to despise his master.

Notes

  1. §11.3.15.prpersuadeatur ei — Since the verb `persuadere` governs the dative, its passive voice is constructed impersonally ("it is persuaded to him"), keeping the person persuaded in the dative `ei`. In the translations, this is rendered as a personal passive ("he is persuaded") for natural phrasing.
  2. §11.3.15.prcontemneret — Although the verbs of the main and conditional clauses are in the present tense (`corrumpitur`, `persuadeatur`), the subjunctive imperfect (`contemneret`) is used in the subordinate `ut`-clause. This deviates from the strict sequence of tenses (consecutio temporum), possibly to emphasize a lasting state of mind resulting from the persuasion, or reflecting later Latin usage.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §11.3.15.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:11.3.15.pr

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