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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §34.9.21.pr

Forfeiture of Inheritance for Failing to Avenge a Freedman

Passage 5326 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

It states that the shares of those who fail to prosecute the death of freedmen dying under suspicious circumstances are confiscated to the fiscus, emphasizing the duty of all heirs to seek justice for the deceased.

[PAULUS libro quinto sententiarum. ] §34.9.21.prPortiones quoque eorum fisco uindicantur, qui mortem libertorum suspecto decedentium non defenderunt: omnes enim heredes uel eos qui loco heredis sunt officiose agere circa defuncti uindictam conuenit.
The portions of those also who did not defend the death of freedmen dying under suspicious circumstances are confiscated to the fiscus; for it is fitting that all heirs, or those who are in the place of an heir, act dutifully regarding the avenging of the deceased.

Notes

  1. §34.9.21.prsuspecto decedentium — decedentium is the genitive plural present participle agreeing with the noun libertorum. suspecto is an ablative expression with the omission of a noun such as obitu (death) or modo (manner), meaning "under suspicious circumstances," modifying the action of dying expressed by the participle.
  2. §34.9.21.promnes enim heredes... conuenit — The impersonal verb conuenit (it is fitting, behoves) governs an accusative and infinitive (A.C.I.) construction. The accusative phrase omnes ... heredes uel eos... serves as the subject of the infinitive agere.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §34.9.21.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:34.9.21.pr

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