Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §19.1.3.pr-19.1.3.4

Nature of Delivery and Valuation of Goods upon Default

Passage 2766 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This section explains the nature of the seller's obligation to deliver possession, the exclusion of fruits in actions on stipulations (relying instead on the action on purchase), the absence of possession delivery in servitudes, and the rules for valuing the price in case of delay by either the seller or the buyer.

[POMPONIUS libro nono ad Sabinum. ] §19.1.3.prRatio possessionis, quae a uenditore fieri debeat, talis est, ut, si quis eam possessionem iure auocauerit, tradita possessio non intellegatur.
[POMPONIUS, on Sabinus, Book 9] The nature of the possession that must be provided by the seller is such that, if anyone evicts that possession by right, the possession is not understood to have been delivered.
§19.1.3.1Si emptor uacuam possessionem tradi stipulatus sit et ex stipulatu agat, fructus non uenient in eam actionem, quia et qui fundum dari stipularetur, uacuam quoque possessionem tradi oportere stipulari intellegitur nec tamen fructuum praestatio ea stipulatione continetur, neque rursus plus debet esse in stipulatione.
If a buyer has stipulated that vacant possession be delivered and sues on the stipulation, the fruits will not enter into that action; because even he who stipulates that land be given is understood to stipulate that vacant possession also ought to be delivered, and yet the rendering of fruits is not contained in that stipulation, nor on the other hand ought more to be contained in a stipulation.
sed ex empto superesse ad fructuum praestationem.
But the action on purchase survives for the rendering of fruits.
§19.1.3.2Si iter actum uiam aquae ductum per tuum fundum emero, uacuae possessionis traditio nulla est: itaque cauere debes per te non fieri quo minus utar.
If I purchase a right of passage, of driving, a way, or a water duct through your land, there is no delivery of vacant possession; therefore you must give security that you will not prevent me from using it.
§19.1.3.3Si per uenditorem uini mora fuerit, quo minus traderet, condemnari eum oportet, utro tempore pluris uinum fuit, uel quo uenit uel quo lis in condemnationem deducitur, item quo loco pluris fuit, uel quo uenit uel ubi agatur.
If there has been delay on the part of the seller of wine in delivering it, he must be condemned at whichever of the two times the wine was more expensive, either when it was sold or when the suit is brought to judgment, and likewise in whichever place it was more expensive, either where it was sold or where the action is brought.
§19.1.3.4Quod si per emptorem mora fuisset, aestimari oportet pretium quod sit cum agatur, et quo loco minoris sit.
But if there was delay on the part of the buyer, the price must be assessed at what it is when the action is brought, and at whichever place it is cheaper.
mora autem uidetur esse, si nulla difficultas uenditorem impediat, quo minus traderet, praesertim si omni tempore paratus fuit tradere.
Moreover, delay is deemed to exist if no difficulty prevents the seller from delivering, especially if he was ready to deliver at all times.
item non oportet eius loci pretia spectari, in quo agatur, sed eius, ubi uina tradi oportet: nam quod a Brundisio uinum uenit, etsi uenditio alibi facta sit, Brundisi tradi oportet.
Likewise, one should not look at the prices of the place where the action is brought, but of that where the wines ought to be delivered; for as for wine which comes from Brundisium, even if the sale was made elsewhere, it must be delivered at Brundisium.

Notes

  1. 19.1.3.1sed ex empto superesse — The infinitive 'superesse' (to survive, remain available) governs an omitted subject accusative 'actionem' (implying 'actionem ex empto', the action on purchase). It indicates that although the action on stipulation does not cover fruits, the action on purchase itself remains available to claim them.
  2. 19.1.3.2iter actum uiam aquae ductum — These refer to rustic praedial servitudes (right of passage, driving, way, water duct) and function as the direct objects (accusative) of the verb 'emero'. Since servitudes are incorporeal things (res incorporales), physical delivery (traditio) is impossible ('nulla est'), giving rise instead to an obligation to guarantee (cauere) non-interference with their use.
  3. 19.1.3.3quo uenit — The verb 'uenit' is the third-person singular (historical present or perfect) of 'veneo' (to be sold), not 'venio' (to come). It means 'when/where it was sold,' establishing a contrast between the time of sale and the time of judgment as reference points for price valuation when the seller is in delay (mora).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §19.1.3.pr-19.1.3.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:19.1.3.pr-19.1.3.4

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.