Definition of Household Goods and Exclusions

Notes

1. §33.10.6.prSupellectilis — The genitive form supellectilis (genitive singular of the third-declension noun supellex) functions here as a genitive of quality or belonging, meaning 'belonging to household goods'. It acts as the predicate in the accusative-and-infinitive construction, both in the opening clause supellectilis eas esse res puto ('I think those things belong to household goods') and in the concluding supellectilis non esse ('[that they] do not belong to household goods').
2. §33.10.6.prartificii — The word artificium denotes a 'trade', 'craft', or 'profession', referring here to specialized occupational activities as distinguished from the daily domestic life (communis usus) of the household. Consequently, implements belonging to some kind of trade (artificii genus aliquod) are excluded from 'household goods' meant for domestic use.
3. §33.10.6.1pugillares et codices — Writing-tablets (pugillares) and account-books (codices) are used for specific clerical, recording, or accounting purposes and possess their own distinct category names. Thus, according to Alfenus' definition (which requires items to have no separate name and to be for general daily use), they are excluded from the category of household goods.