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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §12.2.40.pr

Release of Pledge and Perpetual Exception by Oath

Passage 1937 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

The text discusses the effect of an oath exacted from a debtor, explaining that it is similar to a formal release, frees the pledge, and generates a perpetual exception to end all controversy.

[IDEM libro tertio decimo digestorum. ] §12.2.40.prIusiurandum a debitore exactum efficit, ut pignus liberetur: est enim hoc acceptilationi simile: perpetuam certe exceptionem parit.
[THE SAME, Book 13 of the Digests.] An oath exacted from a debtor has the effect of releasing the pledge; for this is similar to a formal release; it certainly produces a perpetual exception.
idcirco poenam quoque petentem creditorem exceptione summoueri oportet et solutum repeti potest, utpote cum interposito eo ab omni controuersia discedatur.
Therefore, even a creditor who sues for a penalty must be barred by an exception, and what has been paid can be recovered, inasmuch as, once the oath has been taken, all controversy is departed from.

Notes

  1. §12.2.40.prIusiurandum a debitore exactum — exactum is a perfect passive participle modifying iusiurandum (oath). The prepositional phrase a debitore depends on exactum based on the idiom exigere ab aliquo (to demand/exact from someone), meaning 'from the debtor'.
  2. §12.2.40.pracceptilationi — The dative acceptilationi is used as the complement of the adjective simile (similar to). acceptilatio (formal release / discharge of debt) is a formal verbal transaction in Roman law by which an obligation was dissolved without actual payment.
  3. §12.2.40.prutpote cum interposito eo ab omni controuersia discedatur — utpote cum introduces a clause of reason with the subjunctive discedatur. interposito eo is an ablative absolute consisting of the pronoun eo (referring to the preceding iusiurandum) and the perfect participle interposito ('the oath having been taken'). discedatur is an impersonal passive verb, expressing that 'one departs from all controversy' (i.e., all dispute is ended).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §12.2.40.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:12.2.40.pr

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