[ULPIANUS libro quinquagensimo tertio ad edictum. ] §39.3.1.15Huic illud etiam applicandum numquam competere hanc actionem, cum ipsius loci natura nocet: nam (ut uerius quis dixerit) non aqua, sed loci natura nocet.
[ULPIANUS libro quinquagensimo tertio ad edictum.] To this it must also be applied that this action never lies when the nature of the place itself causes the harm: for (as one might more truly say) it is not the water, but the nature of the place that harms.
§39.3.1.16In summa puto ita demum aquae pluuiae arcendae locum actionem habere, si aqua pluuia uel quae pluuia crescit noceat non naturaliter, sed opere facto, nisi si agri colendi causa id factum sit: Imbre autem crescere eam aquam, quae colorem mutat uel increscit.
In short, I think that the action for keeping off rain water lies only if the rain water, or water which increases with rain, causes harm not naturally, but due to a man-made work, unless it was done for the purpose of cultivating a field: and that water increases with a shower which changes its color or swells.
§39.3.1.17Item sciendum est hanc actionem non alias locum habere, quam si aqua pluuia agro noceat: ceterum si aedificio uel oppido noceat, cessat actio ista, agi autem ita poterit ius non esse stillicidia flumina immittere.
Likewise, it must be known that this action lies only if the rain water harms a field: on the other hand, if it harms a building or a town, this action does not apply, but an action can be brought to the effect that there is no right to project drippings or flows of water.
et ideo Labeo et Cascellius aiunt aquae quidem pluuiae arcendae actionem specialem esse, de fluminibus et stillicidiis generalem et ubique agi ea licere.
And therefore Labeo and Cascellius say that while the action for keeping off rain water is special, the action regarding flows and drippings is general and can be brought anywhere.
itaque aqua, quae agro nocet, per aquae pluuiae arcendae actionem coercebitur.
Therefore, water which harms a field will be restrained by the action for keeping off rain water.
§39.3.1.18Nec illud quaeramus, unde oriatur: nam et si publico oriens uel ex loco sacro per fundum uicini descendat isque opere facto in meum fundum eam auertat, aquae pluuiae arcendae teneri eum Labeo ait.
Nor should we inquire where it originates: for even if originating from a public or sacred place it flows down through a neighbor's field, and the neighbor by a man-made work diverts it into my field, Labeo says he is liable under the action for keeping off rain water.
§39.3.1.19Cassius quoque scribit, si aqua ex aedificio urbano noceat uel agro uel aedificio rustico, agendum de fluminibus et stillicidiis.
Cassius also writes that if water from an urban building harms either a field or a rustic building, an action must be brought regarding flows and drippings.
§39.3.1.20Apud Labeonem autem inuenio relatum, si ex agro meo aqua fluens noceat loco qui est intra continentia, hoc est aedificio, non posse me aquae pluuiae arcendae conueniri: quod si ex continentibus profluens in meum agrum defluat eique noceat, aquae pluuiae arcendae esse actionem.
Now I find it recorded in Labeo's writings that if water flowing from my field harms a place within the contiguous buildings, that is, a building, I cannot be sued under the action for keeping off rain water; but if flowing from the contiguous buildings it runs down into my field and harms it, there is an action for keeping off rain water.
§39.3.1.21Sicut autem opus factum, ut aqua pluuia mihi noceat, in hanc actionem uenit, ita per contrarium quaeritur, an posset aquae pluuiae arcendae agi, si uicinus opus fecerit, ne aqua, quae alioquin decurrens agro meo proderat, huic prosit.
Just as a work made so that rain water may harm me comes under this action, so on the contrary it is asked whether an action for keeping off rain water can be brought if a neighbor has made a work so that the water, which otherwise by running down would benefit my field, does not benefit it.
Ofilius igitur et Labeo putant agi non posse, etiamsi intersit mea ad me aquam peruenire: hanc enim actionem locum habere, si aqua pluuia noceat, non si non prosit.
Ofilius and Labeo therefore think that no action can be brought, even though it is in my interest that the water reaches me: for this action lies if rain water causes harm, not if it ceases to benefit.
§39.3.1.22Sed et si uicinus opus tollat et sublato eo aqua naturaliter ad inferiorem agrum perueniens noceat, Labeo existimat aquae pluuiae arcendae agi non posse: semper enim hanc esse seruitutem inferiorum praediorum, ut natura profluentem aquam excipiant.
But also if a neighbor removes a work, and because of its removal the water reaching the lower field naturally causes harm, Labeo estimates that the action for keeping off rain water cannot be brought: for this is always the servitude of lower estates, to receive water flowing naturally.
plane si propter id opus sublatum uehementior aqua profluat uel corriuetur, aquae pluuiae arcendae actione agi posse etiam Labeo confitetur.
Clearly, if because of the removal of that work the water flows more violently or is collected together, Labeo admits that an action can be brought under the action for keeping off rain water.
§39.3.1.23Denique ait condicionibus agrorum quasdam leges esse dictas, ut, quibus agris magna sint flumina, liceat mihi, scilicet in agro tuo, aggeres uel fossas habere: si tamen lex non sit agro dicta, agri naturam esse seruandam et semper inferiorem superiori seruire atque hoc incommodum naturaliter pati inferiorem agrum a superiore compensareque debere cum alio commodo: sicut enim omnis pinguitudo terrae ad eum decurrit, ita etiam aquae incommodum ad eum defluere.
Finally, he says that certain laws (conditions) are laid down for the conditions of fields, so that, for fields where there are large rivers, it is lawful for me, namely on your field, to have dikes or ditches: if, however, no law is laid down for the field, the nature of the field must be observed, and the lower estate must always serve the upper, and the lower field must naturally suffer this disadvantage from the upper and must compensate for it with another advantage: for just as all the richness of the soil flows down to it, so also the disadvantage of the water runs down to it.
si tamen lex agri non inueniatur, uetustatem uicem legis tenere.
If, however, no law of the field is found, antiquity holds the place of law.
sane enim et in seruitutibus hoc idem sequimur, ut, ubi seruitus non inuenitur imposita, qui diu usus est seruitute neque ui neque precario neque clam, habuisse longa consuetudine uelut iure impositam seruitutem uideatur.
Indeed, we follow this same rule in servitudes as well, so that where no servitude is found to have been imposed, he who has long used a servitude neither by force, nor by sufferance, nor secretly, is deemed by long custom to have had the servitude as if lawfully imposed.
non ergo cogemus uicinum aggeres munire, sed nos in eius agro muniemus: eritque ista quasi seruitus, in quam rem utilem actionem habemus uel interdictum.
We shall not therefore compel the neighbor to fortify the dikes, but we shall fortify them on his land: and this will be like a quasi-servitude, for which matter we have a useful action or an interdict.