Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §25.1.7.pr

Definition of Voluptuary Expenses and Dowry Recovery

Passage 3666 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian defines voluptuary expenses and explains that they do not automatically reduce the dowry by operation of law, but nevertheless allow for a right of recovery.

[ULPIANUS libro trigesimo sexto ad Sabinum. ] §25.1.7.prUoluptariae autem inpensae sunt, quas maritus ad uoluptatem fecit et quae species exornant.

[ULPIANUS, On Sabinus, book 36] On the other hand, voluptuary expenses are those which a husband has incurred for pleasure and which decorate the appearance.

quarum utiles non quidem minuunt ipso iure dotem, uerumtamen habent exactionem.

Of these, even if they are useful, they do not indeed ipso iure reduce the dowry, but nevertheless they can be recovered.

Notes

§25.1.7.prquarum utiles — quarum is a relative pronoun in the genitive referring back to the voluptuary expenses (uoluptariae inpensae). utiles is an adjective acting substantively, meaning "those [of the voluptuary expenses] which are useful or beneficial," rather than referring to the separate category of "useful expenses" (utiles inpensae).
§25.1.7.prexactionem — While literally meaning "exaction" or "demand for payment," in the context of voluptuary expenses (where normally only the right of removal, ius tollendi, is granted), exactionem here practically means the removal of the additions or refers to a right to demand compensation. Some manuscripts and editors suggest the emendation exemptionem ("removal").

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §25.1.7.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:25.1.7.pr

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