Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §17.1.49.pr

Mandated Sale Without Knowledge of True Ownership

Passage 2489 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This section discusses the liability for eviction, actions on mandate, and the availability of property recovery in two scenarios where a slave is sold under one party's mandate without knowing the true ownership.

[MARCELLUS libro sexto digestorum. ] §17.1.49.prSeruum Titii emi ab alio bona fide et possideo: mandatu meo eum Titius uendidit, cum ignoraret suum esse, uel contra ego uendidi illius mandatu, cum forte is, cui heres exstiterit, eum emisset: de iure euictionis et de mandatu quaesitum est.
[MARCELLUS, Digest, Book VI.] I bought Titius's slave from another person in good faith and possess him. Titius sold him under my mandate, while being ignorant that the slave was his own; or conversely, I sold him under his mandate, when by chance the person to whom he became heir had bought him. Questions have been raised regarding the right of eviction and the mandate.
et puto Titium, quamuis quasi procurator uendidisset, obstrictum emptori neque, si rem tradidisset, uindicationem ei concedendam, et idcirco mandati eum non teneri, sed contra mandati agere posse, si quid eius interfuisset, quia forte uenditurus non fuerit.
And I think that Titius, although he had sold him as if he were an agent, is bound to the buyer, and if he had delivered the property, he should not be granted a recovery action; and therefore he is not liable under the mandate, but conversely he can bring an action on the mandate if it was in his interest, because perhaps he would not have been going to sell him.
contra mandator, si rem ab eo uindicare uelit, exceptione doli summouetur et aduersus uenditorem testatoris sui habet ex empto iure hereditario actionem.
On the other hand, the mandator, if he should wish to claim the property from him, is barred by the plea of fraud, and he has an action on purchase by hereditary right against the seller of his testator.

Notes

  1. §17.1.49.pruel contra ego uendidi illius mandatu, cum forte is, cui heres exstiterit, eum emisset — Points to the contrasting second scenario (Scenario B). 'Or conversely, I sold under his mandate,' under the circumstance (cum clause with pluperfect subjunctive) that 'he to whom he stood as heir (is, cui heres exstiterit) had bought the slave.' This implies that the slave had actually become Titius's property through inheritance.
  2. §17.1.49.pret idcirco mandati eum non teneri, sed contra mandati agere posse — Explains the liability of the mandatary Titius in Scenario A. 'Not to be held liable under mandate (mandati non teneri)' means that the mandator (the narrator) cannot bring the direct action on mandate (actio mandati directa) against him; whereas 'can bring a counter-action on mandate (contra mandati agere posse)' means Titius can bring the contrary action on mandate (actio mandati contraria) to recover expenses or losses.
  3. §17.1.49.prcontra mandator, si rem ab eo uindicare uelit, exceptione doli summouetur — Refers to the legal position of the mandator (Titius) in Scenario B. The word 'contra' signals a shift to the mandator's action in this second scenario. Since the mandator had commissioned the sale, his subsequent attempt to reclaim (uindicare) the property from the buyer (eo) upon discovering his ownership through inheritance is blocked by the 'plea of fraud (exceptione doli)' due to inconsistency of behavior.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §17.1.49.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:17.1.49.pr

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.