[PAULUS libro quarto quaestionum. ] §15.1.52.prEx facto quaeritur: qui tutelam quasi liber administrabat, seruus pronuntiatus est.
[PAULUS in the fourth book of Questions.] It is asked on the facts: a person who was administering a guardianship as if he were free was declared to be a slave.
an si conueniatur eius dominus a pupillo, cuius quidem potiorem causam quam creditorum ceterorum serui habendam rescriptum est, an uel id deducatur ex peculio, quod domino debetur? et si putaueris posse deduci, an intersit, utrum, cum adhuc in libertate ageret, domini debitor factus est, an postea? et an de peculio impuberi competat? respondi nullum priuilegium praeponi patri uel domino potest, cum ex persona filii uel serui de peculio conueniuntur.
If his master is sued by the ward (whose cause indeed has been rescripted to be held prior to that of the other creditors of the slave), is that which is owed to the master to be deducted from the peculium? And if you think it can be deducted, does it make a difference whether he became the master's debtor while he was still acting in freedom, or afterwards? And does the action on the peculium lie for the minor? I answered that no privilege can be preferred to a father or a master when they are sued on the peculium on account of the person of a son or a slave.
plane in ceteris creditoribus habenda est ratio priuilegiorum: quid enim si filius dotem accepit, tutelam administrauit? merito igitur et in seruo, qui pro tutore egit, id rescriptum est, et quia occupantis melior solet esse condicio, quam ceterorum inhibebitur actio.
Clearly, among the other creditors, account must be taken of privileges; for what if a son has received a dowry or administered a guardianship? Deservedly, therefore, this was rescripted also in the case of a slave who acted as a tutor, and because the condition of the first claimant is usually better, the action of the others will be barred.
plane si ex re pupilli nomina fecit uel pecuniam in arca deposuit, datur ei uindicatio nummorum et aduersus debitores utilis actio, scilicet si nummos consumpserunt: hic enim alienare eos non potuit: quod et in quouis tutore dicendum est.
Clearly, if he made loans from the property of the ward or deposited money in a chest, the vindication of the coins is given to him, and an equitable action against the debtors, namely if they have consumed the coins; for he could not alienate them, which must also be said in the case of any tutor.
nec tamen interesse puto, quando domino debere coepit, utrum cum in libertatis possessione esset an postea: nam et si Titii seruo credidero eiusque dominus esse coepero, deducam quod prius credidi, si conueniri de peculio coepero.
Nor, however, do I think it makes a difference when he began to owe the master, whether when he was in possession of freedom or afterwards; for even if I have lent to Titius' slave and begun to be his master, I shall deduct what I previously lent, if I begin to be sued on the peculium.
quid ergo est? quia de peculio actio deficit, utilis actio in dominum quasi tutelae danda erit, ut quod ille pro patrimonio habuit, peculium esse intellegatur.
What is the case then? Since the action on the peculium is lacking, an equitable action, as it were, of guardianship must be given against the master, so that what he had as his own patrimony may be understood to be the peculium.
§15.1.52.1Si dos filio familias sit data uel tutelam administrauerit, habenda erit ratio priuilegiorum in actione de peculio dilata interim ceterorum creditorum actione uel interposita cautione, si priores agant, qui priuilegium non habent, restitutum iri quod acceperunt, si inferatur postea cum patre actio priuilegii.
If a dowry has been given to a son-in-power or he has administered a guardianship, account must be taken of privileges in the action on the peculium, the action of the other creditors being meanwhile delayed, or security being interposed that, if those who do not have a privilege sue first, what they have received will be restored if an action of privilege is subsequently brought against the father.