Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §27.6.7.pr-27.6.7.4

Action Against a False Tutor Maliciously Authorizing

Passage 4037 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian quotes the praetorian edict regarding an action against someone who, not being a tutor, maliciously gave authorization, and discusses its conditions (such as excuse due to duress), the measure of damages (covering actual loss and recovery costs), and the rules of release for multiple co-defendants.

[ULPIANUS libro duodecimo ad edictum. ] §27.6.7.prNouissime praetor ait: 'in eum qui, cum tutor non esset, dolo malo auctor factus esse dicetur, iudicium dabo, ut quanti ea res erit, tantam pecuniam condemnetur'. §27.6.7.1Non semper tutor conuenitur nec sufficit, si sciens auctor fuit, uerum ita demum, si dolo malo auctor fuit.
[ULPIAN libro duodecimo ad edictum.] Lastly, the praetor says: 'Against him who, though he was not a tutor, is said to have given his authorization with malicious intent, I will grant an action, to the effect that he shall be condemned to pay so much money as the matter shall be worth.' A tutor is not always sued, nor is it sufficient that he gave his authorization knowingly, but only if he did so with malicious intent.
quid si compulsus aut metu, ne compelleretur, auctoritatem accommodauerit, nonne debebit esse excusatus?
What if, having been compelled or through fear of being compelled, he lent his authorization? Ought he not to be excused?
§27.6.7.2Quod ait praetor 'quanti ea res erit', magis puto non poenam, sed ueritatem his uerbis contineri.
As to the praetor's words 'as much as the matter shall be worth,' I am rather of the opinion that not a penalty, but the actual value is contained in these words.
§27.6.7.3Pomponius libro trigesimo recte scribit etiam sumptuum in hoc iudicio rationem haberi, quos facturus est actor restitutorio agendo.
Pomponius rightly writes in his thirtieth book that account is also taken in this trial of the expenses which the plaintiff is about to incur by bringing a restitutory action.
§27.6.7.4Si plures sint qui auctores fuerunt, perceptione ab uno facta et ceteri liberantur, non electione:
If there are several persons who gave their authorization, by satisfaction being obtained from one, the others also are released, not by the election of the action.

Notes

  1. §27.6.7.1metu, ne compelleretur — The clause ne compelleretur ("lest he should be compelled") explains the substance of the ablative noun metu ("through fear"), utilizing the subjunctive mood (here the imperfect subjunctive by sequence of tenses) governed by expressions of fearing.
  2. §27.6.7.4perceptione ab uno facta — An ablative absolute construction with perceptio (here meaning "satisfaction" or "receipt of payment") as its subject. It emphasizes that in cases of multiple wrongdoers, others are released only upon actual recovery of the debt from one of them, not by the mere choice of which defendant to sue (electione).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §27.6.7.pr-27.6.7.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:27.6.7.pr-27.6.7.4

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.