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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §38.1.7.pr-38.1.7.9

Services by Oath and Their Division among Children

Passage 5892 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This section explains the conditions and exceptions for establishing an obligation of services (operae) through a freedman's oath, and describes how the action for services is attributed and equally divided among the patron's children who are unequal co-heirs.

[IDEM libro uicensimo octauo ad Sabinum. ] §38.1.7.prUt iurisiurandi obligatio contrahatur, libertum esse oportet qui iuret et libertatis causa iurare.
[THE SAME, in the twenty-eighth book on Sabinus.] For an obligation of an oath to be contracted, it is necessary that he who swears be a freedman and that he swear for the sake of liberty.
§38.1.7.1Plane quaeritur, si quis liberto suo legauerit, si filio suo iuranerit se decem operarum nomine praestaturum, an obligetur iurando.
Indeed, it is asked whether, if someone has made a legacy to his freedman on condition that he swear to his son that he will provide ten days of services, he is bound by the oath.
et Celsus Iuuentius obligari cum ait paruique referre, quam ob causam de operis libertus iurauerit: et ego Celso adquiesco.
And Juventius Celsus says that he is bound and that it matters little for what reason the freedman has sworn concerning the services; and I agree with Celsus.
§38.1.7.2Iurare autem debet post manumissionem, ut obligetur: et siue statim siue post tempus iurauerit, obligatur.
Moreover, he must swear after manumission in order to be bound; and whether he swears immediately or after an interval of time, he is bound.
§38.1.7.3Iurare autem debet operas donum munus se praestaturum, operas qualescumque, quae modo probe iure licito inponuntur.
Furthermore, he must swear that he will provide services, gifts, or presents—services of whatever kind, provided they are imposed honestly and lawfully.
§38.1.7.4Rescriptum est a diuo Hadriano et deinceps cessare operarum persecutionem aduersus eum, qui ex causa fideicommissi ad libertatem perductus est.
It was stated in a rescript by the Divine Hadrian and thereafter that the pursuit of services ceases against him who was brought to liberty by reason of a fideicommissum.
§38.1.7.5Dabitur et in impuberem, cum adoleuerit, operarum actio: sed interdum et quamdiu impubes est: nam huius quoque est ministerium, si forte uel librarius uel nomenculator uel calculator sit uel histrio uel alterius uoluptatis artifex.
The action for services will also be granted against an impuberate when he grows up, but sometimes even while he is still an impuberate; for his service is also of value if, for instance, he happens to be a copyist, a nomenclator, a calculator, an actor, or an artisan of some other amusement.
§38.1.7.6Si liberi patroni ex inaequalibus partibus essent instituti, utrum pro parte dimidia an pro hereditariis habeant operarum actionem? et puto uerius liberos pro aequalibus habituros actionem.
If the patron's children were instituted heirs in unequal shares, do they have the action for services for a half share each or in proportion to their inheritance shares? And I think it is more correct that the children will have the action in equal shares.
§38.1.7.7Parui autem refert, in potestate fuerint liberi an uero emancipati.
Moreover, it matters little whether the children were under power or emancipated.
§38.1.7.8Sed si in adoptionem datum heredem scripserit patronus, magis est, ut operae ei debeantur.
But if the patron has designated as heir a child who was given in adoption, it is more probable that services are owed to him.
§38.1.7.9Nec patronae liberi summouentur ab operarum petitione.
Nor are the children of a patroness excluded from the petition for services.

Notes

  1. §38.1.7.prlibertum esse oportet qui iuret et libertatis causa iurare — Two infinitive clauses, `libertum esse ...` and `iurare`, are joined by `et` as the subjects of the impersonal verb `oportet`. The verb `iuret` in the relative clause `qui iuret` is in the present subjunctive to express the characteristic of a person ("such a person who swears") rather than pointing to a specific individual.
  2. §38.1.7.1si quis liberto suo legauerit, si filio suo iuranerit se decem operarum nomine praestaturum, an obligetur iurando — This displays a nested conditional structure. Under the main indirect question `an obligetur iurando`, there is a primary condition `si quis ... legauerit`, within which a secondary conditional clause `si ... iurauerit` is inserted to state the condition of the legacy itself. `esse` is omitted after `praestaturum`, making `se ... praestaturum [esse]` an accusative with infinitive clause functioning as the direct object of `iurauerit`.
  3. §38.1.7.6pro parte dimidia an pro hereditariis — In the contrasted choices, the noun `partibus` (shares) is understood after `pro hereditariis`. The text asks whether the children, when inheriting in unequal shares, have the action for services "for equal shares (half each)" (`pro parte dimidia`) or "in proportion to their hereditary shares" (`pro hereditariis partibus`).
  4. §38.1.7.8in adoptionem datum heredem scripserit — `in adoptionem datum` is a perfect participle used substantively (or modifying an implied noun `filium`), meaning "a child given in adoption," which functions as the direct object of the verb `scripserit` (designated as heir). `heredem` functions as an objective complement.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §38.1.7.pr-38.1.7.9. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:38.1.7.pr-38.1.7.9

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