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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §12.4.16.pr

Recovery of Money for Failure of Purpose in Slave Transfer

Passage 1966 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Celsus discusses whether an agreement to pay money for the delivery of a slave constitutes a sale or a transaction subject to recovery for failure of purpose, leaning towards the latter and explaining the right to recover money in cases of the slave's death or defective transfer.

[CELSUS libro tertio digestorum. ] §12.4.16.prDedi tibi pecuniam, ut mihi Stichum dares: utrum id contractus genus pro portione emptionis et uenditionis est an nulla hic alia obligatio est quam ob rem dati re non secuta? in quod procliuior sum: et ideo, si mortuus est Stichus, repetere possum quod ideo tibi dedi, ut mihi Stichum dares.
[CELSUS, Third Book of the Digests.] I gave you money so that you would give me Stichus: is this class of contract to some extent in the category of purchase and sale, or is there here no other obligation than that of recovery for a thing given where the purpose has not been realized? Towards which latter view I am more inclined: and therefore, if Stichus has died, I can recover what I gave you for the purpose of your giving me Stichus.
finge alienum esse Stichum, sed te tamen eum tradidisse: repetere a te pecuniam potero, quia hominem accipientis non feceris: et rursus, si tuus est Stichus et pro euictione eius promittere non uis, non liberaberis, quo minus a te pecuniam repetere possim.
Suppose that Stichus belongs to another, but you nevertheless delivered him: I will be able to recover the money from you, because you have not made the slave the property of the recipient: and again, if Stichus is yours and you do not wish to promise against his eviction, you will not be released from my being able to recover the money from you.

Notes

  1. §12.4.16.prin quod procliuior sum — The relative pronoun quod refers to the second alternative (nulla hic alia obligatio...) in the preceding double question (utrum... an...).
  2. §12.4.16.prob rem dati re non secuta — This forms part of the legal concept of condictio ob rem dati re non secuta (recovery of a thing given for a purpose that was not realized). re non secuta is an ablative absolute meaning 'the purpose not having followed (or realized)'. dati is a genitive of the substantivised participle meaning 'of the thing given'.
  3. §12.4.16.prnon liberaberis, quo minus a te pecuniam repetere possim — The clause introduced by quo minus is used with the verb of releasing (liberaberis) to mean 'you will not be released so as to prevent me from recovering the money'.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §12.4.16.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:12.4.16.pr

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