Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §12.6.66.pr

General Definition of Condictio Based on Equity and Goodness

Passage 2042 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Papinian's essential definition of the action for recovery (condictio). He explains that this action, introduced on the basis of equity and goodness, is used to recover one's property that is held by another without cause.

[PAPINIANUS libro octauo quaestionum. ] §12.6.66.prHaec condictio ex bono et aequo introducta, quod alterius apud alterum sine causa deprehenditur, reuocare consueuit.
[PAPINIANUS, in his eighth book of Questions.] This condictio, introduced on the basis of equity and goodness, is accustomed to recover that which, belonging to one person, is found without cause in the possession of another.

Notes

  1. §12.6.66.prquod — Neutral singular accusative relative pronoun. Its antecedent (such as id) is omitted, and the entire clause functions as the direct object of the infinitive reuocare.
  2. §12.6.66.pralterius — Genitive of possession or property ("belonging to one person"). In contrast with the subsequent apud alterum ("in the possession of another"), it concisely expresses the fundamental structure of unjust enrichment, where one person's property is held by another without cause.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §12.6.66.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:12.6.66.pr

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.