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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §15.1.1.pr-15.1.1.6

Structure and Scope of the Edict on the Peculium Action

Passage 2260 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian explains the structure of the edicts concerning contracts made by persons under another's power—moving from full-liability actions to peculium actions—and discusses the specific scope of the edict on peculium, including considerations of the dependent's age, gender, and the reality of the power relationship.

[ULPIANUS libro uicensimo nono ad edictum. ] §15.1.1.prOrdinarium praetor arbitratus est prius eos contractus exponere eorum qui alienae potestati subiecti sunt, qui in solidum tribuunt actionem, sic deinde ad hunc peruenire, ubi de peculio datur actio.
[ULPIANUS, On the Edict, Book 29] The praetor considered it orderly first to set forth those contracts of persons subject to another's power which grant an action for the whole amount, and then in this way to arrive at this one, where an action is granted concerning the peculium.
§15.1.1.1Est autem triplex hoc edictum: aut enim de peculio aut de in rem uerso aut quod iussu hinc oritur actio.
Moreover, this edict is threefold: for from this there arises either an action concerning the peculium, or one concerning what has been turned to profit, or one based on authorization.
§15.1.1.2Uerba autem edicti talia sunt: 'Quod cum eo, qui in alterius potestate esset, negotium gestum erit'. §15.1.1.3De eo loquitur, non de ea: sed tamen et ob eam quae est feminini sexus dabitur ex hoc edicto actio.
Now the words of the edict are as follows: "In respect of any transaction which shall have been entered into with a person who was under the power of another." It speaks of "him", not "her"; but nevertheless, an action will be granted under this edict also on account of a female.
§15.1.1.4Si cum impubere filio familias uel seruo contractum sit, ita dabitur in dominum uel patrem de peculio, si locupletius eorum peculium factum est.
If a contract has been made with an impuberate son under power or a slave, an action concerning the peculium will be granted against the father or master only if their peculium has been made richer.
§15.1.1.5Potestatis uerbum communiter accipiendum est tam in filio quam in seruo.
The word "power" is to be understood generally, as well in the case of a son as in that of a slave.
§15.1.1.6Nec magis dominium seruorum esse spectandum quam facultatem habendi eos: non enim solum seruorum propriorum nomine conueniemur, item communium, uerum eorum quoque qui bona fide nobis seruiunt, siue liberi sint sine serui alieni.
Nor should the ownership of slaves be considered any more than the capacity of having them in possession; for we shall be sued not only on account of our own slaves, and likewise of common ones, but also on account of those who serve us in good faith, whether they are free persons or the slaves of another.

Notes

  1. §15.1.1.prordinarium — The adjective ordinarium acts as the predicate of an accusative with infinitive construction (with esse omitted), meaning "orderly" or "proper". It refers to the logical criteria used by the praetor in organizing the order of the edict.
  2. §15.1.1.prqui in solidum tribuunt actionem — The antecedent of the relative clause is semantically eos contractus (those contracts), rather than eorum (of those persons). Thus, the contracts themselves are understood to grant an "action for the whole amount" (holding the master or father fully liable).
  3. §15.1.1.4ita... si — A correlative construction expressing a restrictive condition, meaning "only if..." or "in such a way... if...". It indicates that in contracts with impuberate sons or slaves, the father's or master's liability is limited to cases where their peculium has been enriched.
  4. §15.1.1.6nomine conueniemur — Nomine is an ablative meaning "in the name of" or "on account of". Conueniemur is the first-person plural future passive of conuenio (to summon, sue), meaning "we shall be sued" or "we shall be made defendants on account of...".

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §15.1.1.pr-15.1.1.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:15.1.1.pr-15.1.1.6

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