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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §18.1.71.pr

Freedom to Agree on Measures and Price in Wine Sales

Passage 2659 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

The Emperors Antoninus and Verus state in a rescript that the determination of measures and prices for purchasing wine lies within the power of the contracting parties, as no one can be forced to sell against their will.

[PAPIRIUS IUSTUS libro primo constitutionum. ] §18.1.71.prImperatores Antoninus et Uerus Augusti Sextio Uero in haec uerba rescripserunt: 'quibus mensuris aut pretiis negotiatores uina compararent, in contrahentium potestate esse: neque enim quisquam cogitur uendere, si aut pretium aut mensura displiceat, praesertim si nihil contra consuetudinem regionis fiat. '
[PAPIRIUS IUSTUS, in the first book of Constitutions.] The Emperors Antoninus and Verus, Augusti, replied by rescript to Sextius Verus in these words: 'The measures or prices at which merchants buy wine are within the power of the contracting parties; for no one is compelled to sell if either the price or the measure is displeasing to him, especially if nothing is done contrary to the custom of the region.'

Notes

  1. §18.1.71.prquibus... compararent — An indirect question clause functioning as the subject of the infinitive phrase `in contrahentium potestate esse` in indirect discourse. The imperfect subjunctive `compararent` is due to the sequence of tenses (consecutio temporum) dependent on the historical perfect verb `rescripserunt` in the main clause.
  2. §18.1.71.prin contrahentium potestate esse — The main clause of the indirect discourse (accusative with infinitive) reporting the substance of the imperial rescript (`rescripserunt`). The verb `esse` takes the preceding indirect question clause as its subject, meaning 'that [the question of what measures and prices are used] is in the power of the contracting parties.'

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §18.1.71.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:18.1.71.pr

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