Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §26.5.21.pr-26.5.21.6

Eligibility and Exclusions in Appointing Tutors and Curators

Passage 3823 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Rules by Modestinus on the appointment criteria for tutors and curators, specifying excluded persons (such as women, fathers under conditional inheritance, prohibited or unfit individuals, and those on embassies) and emphasizing the moral character required of appointees.

[IDEM libro primo excusationum. ] §26.5.21.prΕἰδέναι δεῖ τοὺς ἄρχοντασ, ὅτι κουράτορασ ἀφῆλιξι γυναῖκασ οὐ χειροτονήσῦσιν.
[BY THE SAME AUTHOR, from the first book on Excuses.] Magistrates ought to know that they are not to appoint women as curators for minors.
§26.5.21.1Ἐὰν μήτηρ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ αἱρέσει γράψῃ γίοὐσ κληρονόμουσ ἐὰν ἀπολυθῶσι τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς ἐξουσίας, ἀπολυθέντων τούτων καὶ διὰ τοῦτο κληρονομησάντων αὐτὸς ὁ πατὴρ κουράτωρ χειροτονηθῆναι οὐ δύναται, κἂν βούληται, ἵνα μὴ ἄλλῃ ὁδῷ τοῦτο ὅπερ οὐκ ἠβουλήθη ἡ διαθεμένη γένηται.
If a mother appoints her sons as heirs under the condition 'if they should be released from their father's power', and upon their release and consequent entry into the inheritance, the father himself cannot be appointed as their curator, even if he wishes it, so that what the testatrix did not want may not come about by another path.
καὶ τοῦτο οὕτως ὑπὸ τοῦ θείου Σεβήρου νενομοθέτηται.
And this has been so legislated by the Divine Severus.
§26.5.21.2Ἀλλὰ κἂν τις ἀπὸ γονέων κωλυθῇ ἐπιτροπεύειν, τοῦτον οὔτε χειροτονεῖσθαι προςήκει· κἂν χειροτονηθεὶς μὴ παραιτῆσηται, κωλύεσθαι αὐτὸν ἐπιτροπεύειν μενούσησ τῆς ἐπιτιμίας.
But if anyone is forbidden by his parents to act as a tutor, it is not proper for him to be appointed; and even if, having been appointed, he does not excuse himself, he is forbidden to act as a tutor, while his civic honor remains intact.
§26.5.21.3Τοὺς ἐν πρεσβείᾳ ὄντας μὴ χειροτονείτωσαν ἐπιτρόπους ἢ κουράτορας οἱ ἄρχοντες, ἐπειδήπερ παρ' ὧν χρόνον πρεσβεύουσιν, ὁ κίνδυνος αὐτοῖς οὐ διαφέρει.
Magistrates shall not appoint persons who are on an embassy as tutors or curators, since during the time they are performing their embassy, the risk does not affect them.
§26.5.21.4Ἐὰν ἐπαρχιακὸν ἂνθρωπον πρεσβεύοντα ὁ ἐν ῥώμῃ ἄρχων δῷ ἐπίτροπον, ἀφεθήσεται.
If the magistrate in Rome appoints a provincial who is serving on an embassy as a tutor, he shall be excused.
§26.5.21.5Πρὸς τοῖς λοιποῖς δικαίοις δεῖ τὸν ἄρχοντα καὶ τοὺς τρόπους τῶν μελλόντων χειροτονηθήσεσθαι σκοπεῖν· οὔτε γὰρ οὐσία οὔτε ἀξίωμα οῦτωσ ἱκανὸν πρὸς πίστιν, ὡς ἀγαθὴ προαίρεσις καὶ χρηστοὶ τρόποι.
In addition to the other legal requirements, the magistrate must also consider the character of those who are to be appointed; for neither wealth nor status is as sufficient for trust as a good intention and excellent character.
§26.5.21.6Διὰ παντὸς δὲ μάλιστα τοῦτο παρατηρείτωσαν οἱ ἄρχοντες μὴ χειροτονεῖν τοὺς βουλομένους ἐπιρρίπτειν ἐαυτοὺς, ἵνα χειροτονηθῶσι, καὶ ἀργύριον διδόντας· τούτους γὰρ καὶ κολάσει ὑπευθύνους εἶναι νενομοθέτηται.
And above all, magistrates must always take care not to appoint those who wish to thrust themselves forward to be appointed, or who offer money; for it has been legislated that such persons are also liable to punishment.

Notes

  1. §26.5.21.prκουράτορασ ἀφῆλιξι γυναῖκασ οὐ χειροτονήσῦσιν — The word ἀφῆλιξι is dative ('to/for minors'), and γυναῖκας is accusative ('women'), referring to the class of persons ineligible for appointment. The corresponding Latin text feminas non dare ('not to appoint women') confirms that this rule prohibits magistrates from appointing women as curators for minors.
  2. §26.5.21.1ἐὰν μήτηρ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ αἱρέσει γράψῃ γίοὐσ κληρονόμουσ ἐὰν ἀπολυθῶσι τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς ἐξουσίας — The clause ἐὰν ἀπολυθῶσι explains the specific content of the condition (ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ αἱρέσει). The mother appointed her sons (γίοὐσ being a corruption of υἱούς) as heirs on the condition that they be emancipated from their father's power (patria potestas), in order to prevent the father from managing the property as a curator.
  3. §26.5.21.2μενούσησ τῆς ἐπιτιμίας — A genitive absolute construction. The word ἐπιτιμία refers to civic honor or legal status (existimatio, dignitas). This indicates that while the unfit guardianship is forbidden, the person's public standing or honor is not compromised or subjected to infamy as a result.
  4. §26.5.21.3ὁ κίνδυνος αὐτοῖς οὐ διαφέρει — Here οὐ διαφέρει means 'does not concern' or 'does not apply to them' (nihil ad eos pertinet). While on an embassy, any potential liability or risk (kíndynos = periculum) of litigation arising from the administration of a guardianship does not affect them legally during that period.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §26.5.21.pr-26.5.21.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:26.5.21.pr-26.5.21.6

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.