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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §13.5.24.pr

Succession of Debt and Liability from Guardian's Security

Passage 2107 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

The text discusses a security (cautio) sent by Titius regarding his wards' debt, determining whether he succeeded as the debtor depending on the existence of a stipulation, or whether he is liable for the principal sum under the action on promised money.

[MARCELLUS libro singulari responsorum. ] §13.5.24.prTitius Seio epistulam emisit in haec uerba: 'Remanserunt apud me quinquaginta ex credito tuo ex contractu pupillorum meorum, quos tibi reddere debebo idibus Maiis probos: quod si ad diem supra scriptum non dedero, tunc dare debebo usuras tot.
[MARCELLUS, from the single book of Responses.] Titius sent a letter to Seius in these words: 'Fifty of your credit from the contract of my wards have remained with me, which I shall be obliged to return to you in good condition on the Ides of May; but if I do not pay them by the above-written day, then I shall be obliged to pay so much interest.' I ask whether Lucius Titius, by this security, succeeded to the place of the wards as debtor.
' quaero, an Lucius Titius in locum pupillorum hac cautione reus successerit. Marcellus respondit, si intercessisset stipulatio, successisse.
Marcellus replied that, if a stipulation had intervened, he did succeed.
item quaero, an, si non successisset, de constituta teneatur.
Likewise, I ask whether, if he did not succeed, he is liable under the action on promised money.
Marcellus respondit in sortem teneri: est enim humanior et utilior ista interpretatio.
Marcellus replied that he is liable for the principal sum; for that interpretation is more humane and more useful.

Notes

  1. §13.5.24.prprobos — Predicative accusative plural masculine of the adjective `probus` (honest, of good quality), modifying the relative pronoun `quos` (referring to `quinquaginta`, which implies a masculine plural noun like `nummos`). It indicates that the money must be returned "in good/sound condition" or "as genuine/standard coins".
  2. §13.5.24.prreus — Although `reus` commonly refers to a "defendant" or "party" in a lawsuit, here it denotes the "debtor" (specifically, the principal debtor) in a contractual relationship.
  3. §13.5.24.prde constituta — The feminine noun `pecunia` is omitted, forming a legal idiom referring to the `actio de constituta pecunia` (action on promised money).
  4. §13.5.24.prin sortem teneri — An accusative with infinitive construction (with the subject pronoun `eum` omitted) depending on `respondit`. Here, `sors` means the "principal sum", indicating that the liability is limited to the principal, excluding the interest (`usurae`) mentioned in the letter.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §13.5.24.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:13.5.24.pr

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