Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §18.1.77.pr

Reservation of Quarries and Later Discovered Stone

Passage 2665 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This text addresses whether newly discovered quarries on a sold tract of land belong to the seller under an exclusion clause; it contrasts Tubero's view with Labeo's intention-based view, and approves of Labeo's position.

[IAUOLENUS libro quarto ex posterioribus LABEONIS.] §18.1.77.prIn lege fundi uendundi lapidicinae in eo fundo ubique essent exceptae erant, et post multum temporis in eo fundo repertae erant lapidicinae.
[JAVOLENUS, in the fourth book of Epitomes of Labeo's Last Works.] In the terms of the sale of a tract of land, it had been excepted that any quarries which might be anywhere on that land should be excluded, and after a long time, quarries were discovered on that land.
eas quoque uenditoris esse Tubero respondit: Labeo referre quid actum sit: si non appareat, non uideri eas lapidicinas esse exceptas: neminem enim nec uendere nec excipere quod non sit, et lapidicinas nullas esse, nisi quae apparent et caedantur: aliter interpretantibus totum fundum lapidicinarum fore, si forte toto eo sub terra esset lapis.
Tubero gave the opinion that these also belonged to the seller. Labeo says that it is important what was agreed upon; if this does not appear, those quarries are not considered to have been excepted. For no one can either sell or except what does not exist, and there are no quarries except those which are visible and being worked. Otherwise, for those who interpret it differently, the entire land would become a quarry, if by chance there were stone under the whole of it.
hoc probo:
I approve of this.

Notes

  1. §18.1.77.prreferre — Infinitive of the impersonal verb refert (it matters, it is of importance). In the indirect speech introduced by Labeo, it serves as the main verb of the report, with the indirect question 'quid actum sit' (what was transacted/agreed) acting as its subject.
  2. §18.1.77.praliter interpretantibus — Dative plural of the present participle, acting as a dative of reference or judgment ('for those who interpret otherwise'), which sets up the counterfactual/hypothetical consequence in the following clause.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §18.1.77.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:18.1.77.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.