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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §14.4.11.pr

Circumstances Favoring the Peculium Action Over Distribution

Passage 2230 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Gaius explains why under certain circumstances it is more advantageous for plaintiffs to choose the action on the peculium over the action for distribution, citing the scale of trade and the absence of debt to the master.

[GAIUS libro nono ad edictum prouinciale. ] §14.4.11.prAliquando etiam agentibus expedit potius de peculio agere quam tributoria: nam in hac actione de qua loquimur hoc solum in diuisionem uenit, quod in mercibus est quibus negotiatur quodque eo nomine receptum est: at in actione de peculio totius peculii quantitas spectatur, in quo et merces continentur.
[GAIUS, from the ninth book on the Provincial Edict.] Sometimes it is more advantageous even for plaintiffs to bring an action on the peculium rather than the action for distribution. For in this action of which we are speaking, only that comes into the division which is in the merchandise with which business is carried on, and what has been received under that name. On the other hand, in the action on the peculium, the amount of the entire peculium is considered, in which the merchandise is also contained.
et fieri potest, ut dimidia forte parte peculii aut tertia uel etiam minore negotieter: fieri praeterea potest, ut patri dominoue nihil debeat.
And it is possible that he may, perhaps, trade with a half part, or a third, or even a smaller part of the peculium; furthermore, it is possible that he owes nothing to his father or master.

Notes

  1. §14.4.11.pragentibus — Dative plural of the present participle agens (from ago, to bring an action), used substantively. It functions as the dative complement of the impersonal verb expedit, meaning 'for those who bring an action' or 'for plaintiffs'.
  2. §14.4.11.prhac actione de qua loquimur — Referring to the action for distribution (actio tributoria) based on the context and the preceding section (§14.4.10.pr). It explains that, in contrast to the action on the peculium, the division in this action is restricted to specific trade merchandise.
  3. §14.4.11.prnegotieter — Third-person singular present subjunctive of the deponent verb negotior (to trade, do business); some manuscripts read the indicative negotiatur. The implied subject is the slave or son-in-power (filius familias) who conducts business using the peculium under the authority of the master or father.
  4. §14.4.11.prpatri dominoue — Dative complements of the following verb debeat (to owe). 'Father' (patri) corresponds to a son-in-power (filius familias), and 'master' (domino) corresponds to a slave (servus). The enclitic -ue means 'or'.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §14.4.11.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:14.4.11.pr

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