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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §22.1.28.pr-22.1.28.1

Offspring of Cattle and Female Slaves as Fruits

Passage 3188 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Gaius discusses that while the offspring of cattle is considered 'fruit' and belongs to a good-faith possessor or usufructuary, the offspring of a female slave is not considered 'fruit' and belongs to the owner of the property, on the grounds that nature provided all fruits for the sake of human beings.

[GAIUS libro secundo rerum cotidianarum. ] §22.1.28.prIn pecudum fructu etiam fetus est sicut lac et pilus et lana: itaque agni et haedi et uituli statim pleno iure sunt bonae fidei possessoris et fructuarii.
[GAIUS, from his second book of Everyday Matters.] In the fruit of cattle, their offspring is also included, just like milk, hair, and wool; therefore, lambs, kids, and calves immediately belong with full right to the possessor in good faith and to the usufructuary.
§22.1.28.1Partus uero ancillae in fructu non est itaque ad dominum proprietatis pertinet: absurdum enim uidebatur hominem in fructu esse, cum omnes fructus rerum natura hominum gratia comparauerit.
But the offspring of a female slave is not included in the fruit, and therefore belongs to the owner of the property; for it seemed absurd that a human being should be treated as fruit, since nature has provided all fruits for the sake of human beings.

Notes

  1. §22.1.28.prbonae fidei possessoris et fructuarii — Possessive genitive dependent on the verb "sunt", meaning "belong to the possessor in good faith and to the usufructuary".
  2. §22.1.28.1hominem in fructu esse — An accusative with infinitive clause functioning as the subject of the passive verb "uidebatur" used impersonally ("it seemed absurd that...").
  3. §22.1.28.1cum omnes fructus rerum natura hominum gratia comparauerit — A causal clause introduced by "cum" with the subjunctive "comparauerit" (perfect subjunctive), meaning "since nature (rerum natura, subject) provided all fruits (omnes fructus, object) for the sake of human beings (hominum gratia)".

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §22.1.28.pr-22.1.28.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:22.1.28.pr-22.1.28.1

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