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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §13.5.21.pr-13.5.21.2

Validity of Constitutum After Default and Grace Periods

Passage 2104 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This section explains the validity of a new promise to pay after the loss of the subject-matter during default, the necessity of a ten-day grace period for open-ended promises, and the performance requirements regarding security.

[IDEM libro uicensimo nono ad edictum. ] §13.5.21.prPromissor Stichi post moram ab eo factam mortuo Sticho si constituerit se pretium eius soluturum, tenetur.
[THE SAME, from the twenty-ninth book on the Edict.] If the promisor of Stichus, after default has been made by him, and after Stichus has died, promises to pay his price, he is liable.
§13.5.21.1Si sine die constituas, potest quidem dici te non teneri, licet uerba edicti late pateant: alioquin et confestim agi tecum poterit, si statim constituisti non soluas: sed modicum tempus statuendum est non minus decem dierum, ut exactio celebretur.
If you make a promise without fixing a day, it can indeed be said that you are not bound, even though the words of the edict are of wide application; otherwise, you could be sued immediately if, having just made the promise, you do not pay. But a reasonable period of not less than ten days must be established, so that the demanding of payment may be carried out.
§13.5.21.2Constituto satis non facit, qui soluturum se constituit, si offerat satisfactionem.
He who has promised to pay does not discharge his undertaking if he merely offers satisfaction.
si quis autem con- stituat se satisdaturum, fideiussorem uel pignora det, non tenetur, quia nihil intersit, quemadmodum satisfaciat.
If, however, anyone promises to provide security, and gives a guarantor or pledges, he is not liable, because it does not matter in what manner he provides satisfaction.

Notes

  1. 13.5.21.prmortuo Sticho — An ablative absolute construction consisting of the noun Stichus and the perfect participle mortuus. It describes the situation where Stichus died after the debtor's default (mora) but before the promise to pay (constitutum) was made.
  2. 13.5.21.1si statim constituisti non soluas — An elliptical construction where the subjunctive non soluas functions as a nested condition following si statim constituisti. It means 'if, immediately after you have made the promise, you do not pay'.
  3. 13.5.21.2Constituto satis non facit — constituto is the dative singular of the neuter noun constitutum (promise to pay), serving as the complement to satis facere. The phrase means 'he does not satisfy or discharge his undertaking'.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §13.5.21.pr-13.5.21.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:13.5.21.pr-13.5.21.2

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