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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §25.7.1.pr-25.7.1.4

Conditions for Concubinage and Obligations to Patrons

Passage 3724 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This chunk discusses the legal rules regarding concubinage, addressing the right of marriage of a freedwoman who deserts an unwilling patron, the relationship of concubinage to the crimes of illicit intercourse and adultery, the prohibition of concubinage among close male relatives, and the minimum age requirement.

[ULPIANUS libro secundo ad legem Iuliam et Papiam. ] §25.7.1.prQuae in concubinatu est, ab inuito patrono poterit discedere et alteri se aut in matrimonium aut in concubinatum dare? ego quidem probo in concubina adimendum ei conubium, si patronum inuitum deserat, quippe cum honestius sit patrono libertam concubinam quam matrem familias habere. §25.7.1.1Cum Atilicino sentio et puto solas eas in concubinatu habere posse sine metu criminis, in quas stuprum non committitur. §25.7.1.2Qui autem damnatam adulterii in concubinatu habuit, non puto lege Iulia de adulteriis teneri, quamuis, si uxorem eam duxisset, teneretur. §25.7.1.3Si qua in patroni fuit concubinatu, deinde filii esse coepit uel in nepotis, uel contra, non puto eam recte facere, quia prope nefaria est huiusmodi coniunctio, et ideo huiusmodi facinus prohibendum est. §25.7.1.4Cuiuscumque aetatis concubinam habere posse palam est, nisi minor annis duodecim sit.
[ULPIANUS, On the Lex Julia et Papia, Book 2] \n \nCan a woman who is in concubinage depart from an unwilling patron and give herself to another either in marriage or in concubinage? For my part, I approve that the right of marriage (conubium) should be taken away from her if she deserts an unwilling patron, since indeed it is more honorable for a patron to have a freedwoman as a concubine than as a mater familias. \n \nI agree with Atilicinus and think that only those women can be kept in concubinage without fear of a crime, against whom stuprum is not committed. \n \nFurthermore, I do not think that he who has kept a woman convicted of adultery in concubinage is liable under the Lex Julia on adulteries, although he would be liable if he had married her as his wife. \n \nIf any woman has been in the concubinage of a patron, and then begins to be in that of his son or grandson, or vice versa, I do not think she acts rightly, because a union of this kind is almost impious, and therefore a crime of this nature must be prohibited. \n \nIt is clear that one can have a concubine of any age whatsoever, unless she is less than twelve years old.

Notes

  1. 25.7.1.prin concubina — Interpreted as "in the case of a concubine" or "while she is a concubine". The combination of the preposition 'in' with the ablative 'concubina' refers to the context where a woman is a freedwoman and in the status of a concubine to her patron.
  2. 25.7.1.pradimendum ei conubium — The right of marriage (conubium) "must be taken away" from her (dative of separation 'ei'). This is an accusative with infinitive construction with 'adimendum [esse]' acting as the object of 'probo', with the copula omitted.
  3. 25.7.1.1in quas stuprum non committitur — A relative clause referring to those women with whom sexual relations do not constitute the crime of illicit intercourse (stuprum), such as slaves, freedwomen, or women of low birth who cannot legally be married as wives or are not subjects of stuprum.
  4. 25.7.1.2damnatam adulterii — The genitive 'adulterii' is a genitive of charge, expressing the crime or accusation, modifying 'damnatam' (a woman convicted).
  5. 25.7.1.4minor annis duodecim — 'annis duodecim' is used as an ablative of comparison with the comparative 'minor', meaning "less than twelve years of age".

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §25.7.1.pr-25.7.1.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:25.7.1.pr-25.7.1.4

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