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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §11.5.1.pr-11.5.1.2

Denial of Actions to Hosts of Gambling and Penalties for Coercion

Passage 1793 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian comments on the praetor's edict denying actions for assault, damage, or theft suffered by the host of a gambling house, discussing the scope, exceptions, and criminal penalties for those who compel others to play.

[ULPIANUS libro uicensimo tertio ad edictum. ] §11.5.1.prPraetor ait: 'Si quis eum, apud quem alea lusum esse dicetur, uerberauerit damnumue ei dederit siue quid eo tempore dolo eius subtractum est, iudicium non dabo.
[ULPIAN, from the twenty-third book on the Edict.] The Praetor says: "If anyone beats him at whose house dice are said to have been played, or inflicts damage on him, or if during that time anything is stolen by his fraud, I will not grant an action.
in eum, qui aleae ludendae causa uim intulerit, uti quaeque res erit, animaduertam. ' Si rapinas fecerint inter se collusores, ui bonorum raptorum non denegabitur actio: susceptorem enim dumtaxat prohibuit uindicari, non et collusores, quamuis et hi indigni uideantur.
Against him who uses force for the purpose of playing dice, I will take measures according to the circumstances of the case." If fellow players commit robberies against each other, the action for property taken by force will not be denied; for the Praetor prohibited only the host from obtaining redress, and not also the fellow players, although these also seem unworthy.
§11.5.1.1Item notandum, quod susceptorem uerberatum quidem et damnum passum ubicumque et quandocumque non uindicat: uerum furtum factum domi et eo tempore quo alea ludebatur, licet lusor non fuerit qui quid eortum fecerit, impune fit.
Likewise, it must be noted that the Praetor does not protect the host who has been beaten or suffered damage, wherever and whenever this occurred; but theft committed at his house and at the time when dice were being played is done with impunity, even though he who did any of these things was not a player.
domum autem pro habitatione et domicilio nos accipere debere certum est.
It is certain, however, that we must understand "house" as dwelling and domicile.
§11.5.1.2Quod autem praetor negat se furti actionem daturum, uideamus utrum ad poenalem actionem solam pertineat an et si ad exhibendum uelit agere uel uindicare uel condicere.
As to the fact that the Praetor says he will not grant an action for theft, let us see whether this applies to the penal action alone, or also if he wishes to bring an action for production, or to claim ownership, or to bring a personal action for recovery.
et est relatum apud Pomponium solummodo poenalem actionem denegatam, quod non puto uerum: praetor enim simpliciter ait 'si quid subtractum erit, iudicium non dabo. ''In eum', inquit, 'qui aleae ludendae causa uim intulerit, uti quaeque res erit, animaduertam. ' haec clausula pertinet ad animaduersionem eius qui conpulit ludere, ut aut multa multetur aut in lautumias uel in uincula publica ducatur:
And it is reported in Pomponius that only the penal action is denied, which I do not think is true; for the Praetor says simply: "if anything is stolen, I will not grant an action." "Against him," he says, "who uses force for the purpose of playing dice, I will take measures according to the circumstances." This clause relates to the punishment of him who compelled others to play, so that he may either be fined or sent to the stone quarries or to the public prison.

Notes

  1. 11.5.1.prdolo eius — The genitive pronoun `eius` refers back to the antecedent `eum, apud quem...` (the host of the gambling den). Thus, it means "by his [the host's] fraud/willful default," referring to instances where the host was complicit in the theft or failed to prevent it through bad faith.
  2. 11.5.1.pruindicari — Present passive infinitive of `uindico` (to avenge, protect, or redress). It forms the accusative with infinitive construction `susceptorem... prohibuit uindicari` ("he prohibited the host from being protected/redressed").
  3. 11.5.1.1notandum, quod... non uindicat — The impersonal gerundive `notandum [est]` ("it must be noted") is followed by a `quod` clause introducing a fact. The implied subject of `uindicat` is the Praetor, and its object is `susceptorem`.
  4. 11.5.1.1qui quid eortum fecerit — The word `eortum` in the manuscripts is a scribal error for `eorum`. The clause `qui quid eorum fecerit` ("he who did any of these [=the theft]") acts as the subject of the concessive clause `licet lusor non fuerit` ("although [he] was not a player").

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §11.5.1.pr-11.5.1.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:11.5.1.pr-11.5.1.2

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