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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §24.3.1.pr

Priority of Preserving Dowries in the Public Interest

Passage 3591 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This section explains why the preservation of dowries for women is always a priority, stating that it serves the public interest because endowed women are essential for procreation and replenishing the state's population.

[POMPONIUS libro quinto decimo ad Sabinum. ] §24.3.1.prDotium causa semper et ubique praecipua est: nam et publice interest dotes mulieribus conseruari, cum dotatas esse feminas ad subolem procreandam replendamque liberis ciuitatem maxime sit necessarium.
[POMPONIUS in the fifteenth book ad Sabinum.] The cause of dowries is always and everywhere favored: for it is also in the public interest that dowries be preserved for women, since it is extremely necessary for women to be endowed in order to procreate offspring and replenish the state with children.

Notes

  1. §24.3.1.prpublice interest dotes mulieribus conseruari — The impersonal verb interest takes the accusative and infinitive clause dotes mulieribus conseruari (that dowries be preserved for women) as its subject. The adverb publice modifies interest.
  2. §24.3.1.prdotatas esse feminas — An accusative and infinitive clause functioning as the subject of the predicate maxime sit necessarium (is extremely necessary) within the causal cum-clause.
  3. §24.3.1.prad subolem procreandam replendamque liberis ciuitatem — A gerundive construction introduced by the preposition ad. The preposition governs both subolem procreandam (procreacting offspring) and replendam ... ciuitatem (replenishing the state), connected by -que. liberis is an ablative of means/instrument modifying the gerundive replendam, meaning 'freeborn children'.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §24.3.1.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:24.3.1.pr

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