Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §14.1.5.pr-14.1.5.2

Actions on Contracts with Dependent Shipmasters or Co-Operators

Passage 2187 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Discusses the generation of actions and appropriate forms of action (such as hiring or mandate) among contracting parties when a person under another's power is the master, or when one of several shipowners contracts with the master.

[PAULUS libro uicensimo nono ad edictum. ] §14.1.5.prSi eum, qui in mea potestate sit, magistrum nauis habeas, mihi quoque in te competit actio, si quid cum eo contraxero: idem est, si communis seruus nobis erit.
[PAULUS libro uicensimo nono ad edictum.] If you have as the master of a ship a person who is under my power, an action is available to me also against you, if I contract anything with him; the same is true if he is a slave common to us.
ex locato tamen mecum ages, quod operas serui mei conduxeris, quia et si cum alio contraxisset, ageres mecum, ut actiones, quas eo nomine habui, tibi praestarem, quemadmodum cum libero, si quidem conduxisses, experieris: quod si gratuitae operae fuerint, mandati ages.
However, you will bring an action on hiring against me, because you hired the services of my slave, because even if he had contracted with someone else, you would bring an action against me to make me hand over to you the actions which I held on that account, just as you would proceed against a free man, if you had indeed hired him; but if the services were gratuitous, you will bring an action on mandate.
§14.1.5.1Item si seruus meus nauem exercebit et cum magistro eius contraxero, nihil obstabit, quo minus aduersus magistrum experiar actione, quae mihi uel iure ciuili uel honorario competit: nam et cuiuis alii non obstat hoc edictum, quo minus cum magistro agere possit: hoc enim edicto non transfertur actio, sed adicitur.
Likewise, if my slave runs a ship and I contract with his master, nothing will prevent me from proceeding against the master with an action which is available to me either under civil law or under honorary law; for this edict does not prevent anyone else either from being able to bring an action against the master; for by this edict an action is not transferred, but added.
§14.1.5.2Si unus ex his exercitoribus cum magistro nauis contraxerit, agere cum aliis exercitoribus poterit.
If one of these shipowners contracts with the master of the ship, he will be able to bring an action against the other shipowners.

Notes

  1. §14.1.5.prex locato — An expression consisting of the preposition ex and the ablative neuter singular of the adjective locatus, meaning 'an action based on letting/hiring (actio ex locato)'. Along with the contrasting genitive singular mandati ('action on mandate'), it indicates the basis of the action according to the nature of the contract.
  2. §14.1.5.prut actiones, quas eo nomine habui, tibi praestarem — A noun clause introduced by the conjunction ut, representing the object or purpose of the main verb ageres mecum ('you would bring an action against me'). The phrase actiones praestare is a legal technical term meaning to 'cede' or 'assign' the actions acquired.
  3. §14.1.5.1nihil obstabit, quo minus — A construction using the conjunction quo minus (governing the subjunctive experiar) following a verb or expression of hindrance (here, nihil obstabit, 'nothing will prevent'), meaning 'from doing [something]'. Due to the double negative implication, it expresses an affirmative allowance: 'nothing will prevent me from proceeding' (i.e., 'I can proceed without hindrance').

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §14.1.5.pr-14.1.5.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:14.1.5.pr-14.1.5.2

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