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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §14.2.9.pr

Application of Rhodian Law in Maritime Disputes by Rescript

Passage 2198 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

In response to a petition from Eudaemon, Emperor Antoninus replies that maritime matters should be judged by the Rhodian law, provided that no Roman law contradicts it.

[UOLUSIUS MAECIANUS ex lege Rodia. ] §14.2.9.prἈξίωσις Εὐδαίμονος Νικομηδέως πρὸς Ἀντωνῖνον Βασιλέα· Κύριε Βασιλεῦ Ἀντωνῖνε, ναυφράγιον ποιήσαντες ἐν τῇ Ἰταλίᾳ διηρπάγημεν ὑπὸ τῶν δημοσίων τῶν τὰς Κυκλάδας νήσους οἰκούντων. Ἀντωνῖνος εἶπεν Εὐδαίμονι· ἐγὼ μὲν τοῦ κόσμου κύριος, ὁ δὲ νόμος τῆς θαλάσσης.
[VOLUSIUS MAECIANUS, On the Rhodian Law.] The petition of Eudaemon of Nicomedia to the Emperor Antoninus: "Lord Emperor Antoninus, having suffered shipwreck in Italy, we were plundered by the publicans who inhabit the Cyclades islands." Antoninus said to Eudaemon: "I am indeed the lord of the world, but the law is the lord of the sea.
τῷ νόμῳ τῶν Ῥοδίων κρινέσθω τῷ ναυτικῷ, ἐν οἷς μήτις τῶν ἡμετέρων αὐτῷ νόμος ἐναντιοῦται.
Let it be judged by the Rhodian maritime law, in so far as no law of ours is contrary to it.
τοῦτο δὲ αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ θειότατος Αὔγουστος ἔκρινεν.
This very same thing the most divine Augustus also decided."

Notes

  1. §14.2.9.prδημοσίων — Genitive plural of the adjective δημόσιος (public), used substantively. Here it refers to "publicans" (tax collectors) or public officials.
  2. §14.2.9.prἐν οἷς — The relative pronoun ὅς in the neuter plural dative with the preposition ἐν, meaning "in which matters" or "insofar as."
  3. §14.2.9.prαὐτῷ — Dative pronoun referring back to "the Rhodian law" (τῷ νόμῳ τῶν Ῥοδίων). It is in the dative case because the verb ἐναντιοῦται (to oppose, be contrary to) governs the dative.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §14.2.9.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:14.2.9.pr

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