[MODESTINUS libro secundo excusationum. ] §27.1.6.8Ἔστιν δὲ καὶ ἐν ταῖς τοῦ βασιλέως Κομμόδου διατάξεσιν ἐνγεγραμμένον κεφάλαιον ἐξ ἐπιστολῆς Ἀντωνίνου τοῦ Εὐσεβοῦς, ἐν ᾧ δηλοῦται καὶ φιλόσοφος ἀλειτουργησίαν ἔχειν ἀπὸ ἐπιτροπῶν.
There is also inserted in the constitutions of the Emperor Commodus a section from a letter of Antoninus Pius, in which it is made clear that a philosopher also has exemption from guardianships.
ἔστιν δὲ τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα· Ὁμοίως δὲ τούτοις ἅπασιν ὁ θειότατος πατὴρ μοῦ παρελθὼν εὐθὺς ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν διατάγματι τὰς ὑπαρχούσας τιμὰς καὶ ἀτελείας ἐβεβαίωσεν, γράψας φιλοσόφους ῥήτορας γραμματικοὺς ἰατροὺς ἀτελεῖς εἶναι γυμνασιαρχιῶν ἀγορανομιῶν ἱερωσυνῶν ἐπισταθμιῶν σιτωνίας ἐλαιωνίας καὶ μήτε κρίνειν μήτε πρεσβεύειν μήτε εἰς στρατείαν καταλέγεσθαι ἄκοντας μήτε εἰς ἄλλην αὐτοὺς ὑπηρεσίαν ἐθνικὴν ἤ τινα ἄλλην ἀναγκάζεσθαι. §27.1.6.9Ἔτι κἀκεῖνο εἰδέναι χρή, ὅτι ὁ ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ πατρίδι διδάσκων ἢ θεραπεύων τὴν ἀλειτουργησίαν ταύτην ἔχει· ἐὰν γὰρ Κομανεὺς ὢν ἐν Νεοκαισαρείᾳ σοφιστεύῃ ἢ θεραπεύῃ ἢ διδάσκῃ, παρὰ Κομανεῦσιν ἀλειτουργησίαν οὐκ ἔχει.
The words are as follows: "Similarly to all of these, my most divine father, immediately upon succeeding to the empire, confirmed by an edict the existing honors and immunities, writing that philosophers, rhetoricians, grammarians, and physicians are exempt from gymnasiarchies, aedileships, priesthoods, billeting duties, grain purchasing, and oil purchasing, and that they are not to be forced against their will to act as judges, serve on embassies, be enlisted in military service, or be compelled to perform any other provincial or any other service." Furthermore, one must also know that he who teaches or practices healing in his own home city has this exemption; for if, being a citizen of Comana, he practices as a sophist or heals or teaches in Neocaesarea, he does not have exemption among the citizens of Comana.
καὶ τοῦτο οὕτω νενομοθέτηται ὑπὸ τῶν θειοτάτων Σεβήρου καὶ Ἀντωνίνου.
And this was so legislated by the most divine Severus and Antoninus.
§27.1.6.10Τοὺς μέντοι ἄγαν ἐπιστήμονας καὶ ὑπὲρ τὸν ἀριθμὸν καὶ ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ πατρίδι τὰς διατριβὰς ποιουμένους εἶναι ἀλειτουργήτους Παῦλος γράφει, λέγων τὸν θειότατον Ἀντωνῖνον τὸν Εὐσεβῆ οὕτω κεκελευκέναι.
However, Paul writes that those who are exceptionally learned, even beyond the allowed number, and who carry on their activities in a foreign city, are exempt, saying that the most divine Antoninus Pius so ordered.
Τὸν ἐν Ῥώμῃ §27.1.6.11σοφιστεύοντα ἢ σαλαρίῳ ἢ καὶ χωρὶς σαλαρίου ἄφεσιν ἔχειν νενομοθέτηται ὑπὸ τῶν θειοτάτων Σεβήρου καὶ Ἀντωνίνου, οὕτως ὡς ἂν εἰ ἔτυχεν ἐν ἰδίᾳ πατρίδι διδάσκων.
He who in Rome practices as a sophist, whether with a salary or even without a salary, has exemption as legislated by the most divine Severus and Antoninus, just as if he happened to be teaching in his own home city.
αἷς νομοθεσίαις δύναταί τις ἐκεῖνον προσαγαγεῖν τὸν λόγον, ὅτι κοινῆς οὔσης τε καὶ νομιζομένης πατρίδος τῆς βασιλευούσης εἰκότως ἂν ὡς ἐν ἰδίᾳ πατρίδι χρήσιμον ἑαυτὸν παρασχὼν ἀλειτουργησίαν καρπώσεται.
To these legislations one can apply the argument that, since the ruling city is both common and regarded as the home city of all, it is reasonable that he who makes himself useful there, as if in his own home city, should enjoy the exemption.
§27.1.6.12Νόμων δὲ διδάσκαλοι ἐν ἐπαρχίᾳ διδάσκοντες ἄφεσιν οὐκ ἔχουσιν, ἐν Ῥώμῃ δὲ διδάσκοντες ἀφίενται.
Teachers of law teaching in a province do not have exemption, but those teaching in Rome are excused.
§27.1.6.13Ulpianus libro singulari de officio praetoris tutelaris ita scribit: Athletae habent a tutela excusationem, sed qui sacris certaminibus coronati sunt. §27.1.6.14Ἔθνουσ ἱεραρχία, οἷον Ἀσιαρχία, Βιθυναρχία, Καππαδοκαρχία, παρέχει ἀλειτουργησίαν ἀπὸ ἐπιτροπῶν, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἕως ἂν ἀρχῇ.
Ulpian writes as follows in his single book on the Office of the Tutor-Praetor: "Athletes have an exemption from guardianship, but only those who have been crowned in sacred contests." A provincial priesthood, such as the Asiarchate, Bithyniarchate, or Cappadociarchate, provides exemption from guardianships, that is to say, as long as one holds the office.
§27.1.6.15Tutela non est rei publicae munus nec quod ad impensam pertinet, sed ciuile: nec prouinciale uidetur tutelam administrare.
Guardianship is not a public duty of the state nor one pertaining to expense, but a civil one; nor is administering a guardianship regarded as a provincial duty.
§27.1.6.16Ἀφίενται ἐπιτροπῆς καὶ κουρατορίας στρατηγοὶ τῶν πόλεων.
The magistrates of cities are excused from guardianship and curatorship.
§27.1.6.17Δίδωσιν ἄφεσιν ἐπιτροπῆς καὶ κεφαλικὴ ἔχθρα τῷ χειροτονηθέντι γενομένη πρὸς τὸν πατέρα τῶν ὀρφανῶν, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ κατὰ διαθήκας φανείη δοθεὶς ὁ ἐπίτροπος, πλὴν εἰ μὴ μετὰ τὸ γραφῆναι τὴν διαθήκην κεφαλικὸς ἀγὼν αὐτοῖς πρὸς ἀλλήλους συνέστη, ἢ εἰ μὴ πρεσβυτέρα μέν ἐστιν τῆς διαθήκης ἡ ἔχθρα, διὰ τοῦτο δὲ δοκεῖ δίδοσθαι ἐπίτροπος, ἵνα ὑποβληθῇ ἐνοχῇ καὶ πράγμασιν·
A deadly enmity that has arisen between the person appointed and the father of the orphans also grants exemption from guardianship, except if it appears that the guardian was appointed by a will; unless, even after the writing of the will, a capital lawsuit arose between them, or if the enmity was older than the will but the guardian seems to have been appointed for the purpose of subjecting him to liability and trouble.
καὶ τοῦτο ἐξ ἐπιστολῆς Σεβήρου Βασιλέως δείκνυται.
And this is shown by a letter of the Emperor Severus.
Ἔτι ἀπολύεται §27.1.6.18ἐπιτροπῆς, ὁπόταν ἀμφισβήτησίν τις τῷ ὀρφανῷ περὶ τῆς καταστάσεως κινῇ, φαίνηται δὲ τοῦτο μὴ συκοφαντίᾳ ποιῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ καλῆς πίστεως· καὶ τοῦτο οἱ θειότατοι Μάρκος καὶ Βῆρος ἐνομοθέτησαν.
Furthermore, is released from guardianship, whenever someone raises a dispute against the orphan concerning his status, and it appears that he does this not out of malicious prosecution, but in good faith; and this the most divine Marcus and Verus legislated.
§27.1.6.19Περὶ τῶν ἀγροίκων καὶ τῶν ταπεινῶν καὶ τῶν ἀγραμμάτων γράφει Παῦλος οὑτωσί· Mediocritas et rusticitas interdum excusationem praebent secundum epistulas diuorum Hadriani et Antonini.
Concerning uneducated, humble, and illiterate persons, Paul writes as follows: "Humble status and rusticity sometimes provide an excuse, according to the letters of the deified Hadrian and Antoninus.
eius qui se neget litteras scire, excusatio accipi non debet, si modo non sit expers negotiorum.
The excuse of one who claims not to know how to read and write should not be accepted, provided he is not inexperienced in business."