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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §21.1.58.pr-21.1.58.2

Theft by Runaway Slaves and Proof of Prior Flight

Passage 3074 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This section discusses the liability for goods stolen by a runaway slave subject to redhibition, including the alternative of noxal surrender and actions based on a double-value stipulation. It also addresses whether a slave's admission of past flight can be credited when supported by other corroborating evidence.

[IDEM libro quinto responsorum. ] §21.1.58.prQuaero, an, si seruus apud emptorem fugit et in causa redhibitionis esse pronuntiatus fuerit, non prius uenditori restitui debeat, quam rerum ablatarum a seruo aestimationem praestiterit.
[BY THE SAME in the fifth book of Opinions.] I ask whether, if a slave runs away while with the buyer and is pronounced to be subject to redhibition, he ought not to be returned to the seller only after he [the seller] has paid the valuation of the things taken away by the slave.
Paulus respondit uenditorem cogendum non tantum pretium serui restituere, sed etiam rerum ablatarum aestimationem, nisi si pro his paratus sit seruum noxae nomine relinquere.
Paulus answered that the seller must be compelled not only to return the price of the slave, but also the valuation of the things taken away, unless he is prepared to surrender the slave by way of noxal surrender on account of these things.
§21.1.58.1Item quaero, si nolit aestimationem et pretia rerum restituere, an seruus retinendus sit et danda sit actio de peculio uel de pretio redhibiti serui ex duplae stipulatione.
I also ask, if he is unwilling to restore the valuation and the prices of the things, whether the slave should be retained and whether an action on the peculium or an action for the price of the returned slave based on the stipulation for double value should be granted.
Paulus respondit de pretio serui repetendo competere actionem etiam ex duplae stipulatione: de rebus per furtum ablatis iam responsum est.
Paulus answered that for recovering the price of the slave, an action is available also on the stipulation for double value; concerning the things taken away by theft, answer has already been given.
§21.1.58.2Seruum dupla emi, qui rebus ablatis fugit: mox inuentus praesentibus honestis uiris interrogatus, an et in domo uenditoris fugisset, respondit fugisse: quaero, an standum sit responso serui.
I bought a slave under a stipulation for double value, who ran away after taking some things; soon afterwards he was found, and when questioned in the presence of reputable men whether he had also run away while in the seller's house, he answered that he had done so. I ask whether one should stand by the slave's answer.
Paulus respondit: si et alia indicia prioris fugae non deficiunt, tunc etiam serui responso credendum est.
Paulus answered: if other indications of the previous flight are also not lacking, then the slave's answer should also be believed.

Notes

  1. §21.1.58.prpraestiterit — While the logical subject of the preceding passive infinitive `restitui debeat` is `seruus` (the slave), the subject of the subjunctive perfect `praestiterit` in the `quam` clause is `uenditor` (the seller). This indicates that the buyer is not obliged to return the slave until the seller compensates for the value of the things taken away by the slave.
  2. §21.1.58.prnoxae nomine relinquere — This refers to the legal doctrine of 'noxal surrender' (noxae deditio). If a person under authority (such as a slave) committed a tort against another, the master could free himself from liability either by compensating for the damage or by surrendering (`relinquere`) the wrongdoer to the victim.
  3. §21.1.58.1de pretio serui repetendo — The gerundive `repetendo` agrees in gender, number, and case with the ablative noun `pretio` governed by the preposition `de` (gerundive construction), meaning 'concerning the recovery of the price of the slave.'

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §21.1.58.pr-21.1.58.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:21.1.58.pr-21.1.58.2

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