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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §19.3.1.pr-19.3.1.1

Nature of the Action on Valuation and Risk

Passage 2884 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian discusses the doubts regarding the classification of contracts when a thing is delivered for sale with a valuation, the establishment of the "actio de aestimato" to resolve this issue, and the rule that the undertaker of the valuation bears the risk.

[ULPIANUS libro trigesimo secundo ad edictum. ] §19.3.1.prActio de aestimato proponitur tollendae dubitationis gratia: fuit enim magis dubitatum, cum res aestimata uendenda datur, utrum ex uendito sit actio propter aestimationem, an ex locato, quasi rem uendendam locasse uideor, an ex conducto, quasi operas conduxissem, an mandati.
[ULPIAN, in the thirty-second book on the Edict.] The action on estimate is proposed for the sake of removing doubt: for there was greater doubt, when a thing is given to be sold at an estimated price, whether there is an action on sale on account of the valuation, or on letting, as if I am seen to have let out the thing to be sold, or on hiring, as if I had hired services, or on mandate.
melius itaque uisum est hanc actionem proponi: quotiens enim de nomine contractus alicuius ambigeretur, conueniret tamen aliquam actionem dari, dandam aestimatoriam praescriptis uerbis actionem: est enim negotium ciuile gestum et quidem bona fide.
Therefore, it seemed better that this action be proposed: for as often as there was doubt concerning the name of some contract, and yet it was agreed that some action should be given, an estimated action with prescribed words should be given: for it is a civil transaction performed, and indeed in good faith.
quare omnia et hic locum habent, quae in bonae fidei iudiciis diximus.
Therefore, all things which we have said in regard to bonae fidei judgements also have a place here.
§19.3.1.1Aestimatio autem periculum facit eius qui suscepit: aut igitur ipsam rem debebit incorruptam reddere aut aestimationem de qua conuenit.
Now, the valuation places the risk on him who undertook it: therefore, he must either return the thing itself undamaged or pay the valuation agreed upon.

Notes

  1. §19.3.1.prtollendae dubitationis gratia — The gerundive tollendae agrees with the noun dubitationis, and together with the postposition gratia, it expresses purpose ("for the sake of removing doubt").
  2. §19.3.1.prfuit enim magis dubitatum — The impersonal passive fuit dubitatum is used, meaning "there was greater doubt", introducing the indirect question clauses starting with utrum... an...
  3. §19.3.1.1periculum facit eius — The phrase periculum facere is used with the genitive pronoun eius (the antecedent of the relative clause), meaning "places the risk on him" or "makes it the risk of him".

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §19.3.1.pr-19.3.1.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:19.3.1.pr-19.3.1.1

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