Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §21.1.37.pr

Prohibition of Selling Veteran Slaves as Novices

Passage 3053 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian comments on the aediles' edict forbidding the sale of veteran slaves as novices, explaining why untrained novices are preferred and stating that such deceptive sales are subject to rescission.

[ULPIANUS libro primo ad edictum aedilium curulium. ] §21.1.37.prPraecipiunt aediles, ne ueterator pro nouicio ueneat.
[ULPIAN in the first book on the Edict of the Curule Aediles.] The aediles command that an experienced slave shall not be sold as a novice.
et hoc edictum fallaciis uenditorum occurrit: ubique enim curant aediles, ne emptores a uenditoribus circumuenianter.
And this edict counteracts the deceits of sellers; for everywhere the aediles take care that buyers are not circumvented by sellers.
ut ecce plerique solent mancipia, quae nouicia non sunt, quasi nouicia distrahere ad hoc, ut pluris uendant: praesumptum est enim ea mancipia, quae rudia sunt, simpliciora esse et ad ministeria aptiora et dociliora et ad omne ministerium habilia: trita uero mancipia et ueterana difficile est reformare et ad suos mores formare.
For instance, many are accustomed to sell slaves who are not novices as if they were novices, for the purpose of selling them for more. For it is presumed that those slaves who are untrained are simpler, more suitable for services, more teachable, and adaptable to every service; but it is difficult to reform worn-out and veteran slaves and to fashion them to one's own habits.
quia igitur uenaliciarii sciunt facile decurri ad nouiciorum emptionem, idcirco interpolant ueteratores et pro nouiciis uendunt.
Since, therefore, slave-dealers know that people easily resort to the purchase of novices, they for that reason furbish up veteran slaves and sell them as novices.
quod ne fiat, hoc edicto aediles denuntiant: et ideo si quid ignorante emptore ita uenierit, redhibebitur.
To prevent this from happening, the aediles give warning in this edict; and therefore, if any such slave is sold without the knowledge of the buyer, the sale shall be rescinded.

Notes

  1. 21.1.37.prcircumuenianter — This is likely a manuscript variant or typographical error for circumueniantur, the third-person plural present subjunctive passive of the fourth-conjugation verb circumuenio.
  2. 21.1.37.prdecurri — Present passive infinitive of the verb decurro, used impersonally here. Literally meaning "that it is easily run to," it signifies that people easily resort to the purchase of novice slaves.
  3. 21.1.37.prignorante emptore — An ablative absolute construction consisting of the present participle ignorans and the noun emptor, expressing an attendant circumstance or condition ("without the knowledge of the buyer" or "if the buyer is ignorant").

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §21.1.37.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:21.1.37.pr

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