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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §4.6.5.pr-4.6.5.1

Scope of the Malice Clause and Public Service in Rome

Passage 768 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian presents additional cases barred from the privilege of absence on state business, explaining why the requirement of "malicious intent" applies only to those absent for state business and not due to fear. He also notes that those working for the state in Rome are not considered "absent."

[ULPIANUS libro duodecimo ad edictum. ] §4.6.5.pret qui data opera et sine lucro hoc affectauerit: uel qui maturius profectus est: uel litis gratia coepit rei publicae causa abesse.
[ULPIANUS libro duodecimo ad edictum.] and who intentionally and without any benefit has sought this; or who has set out prematurely; or who, for the sake of a lawsuit, has begun to be absent for the sake of the state.
sed haec adiectio doli mali ad rei publicae causa absentes refertur, non etiam ad eum, qui metus causa: quoniam nullus metus est, si dolus intercedit.
But this addition of "malicious intent" refers to those who are absent for the sake of the state, not also to him who is absent because of fear: since there is no fear if malicious intent intervenes.
§4.6.5.1Sed qui Romae rei publicae causa operam dant, rei publicae causa non absunt,
But those who employ themselves at Rome for the sake of the state are not absent for the sake of the state,

Notes

  1. §4.6.5.pret qui data opera et sine lucro hoc affectauerit — An addition of the subject continuing from `reuocatur ab isto priuilegio` (is barred from that privilege) in the preceding text of Callistratus (D. 4.6.4.pr). The antecedent `is` of the relative pronoun `qui` is omitted. `hoc` refers to being absent for the sake of the state (`rei publicae causa abesse`).
  2. §4.6.5.prhaec adiectio doli mali — Refers to the addition of the requirement of "without malicious intent" (`sine dolo malo`) as a condition for relief for those who are absent, which was mentioned in the preceding text of Callistratus (D. 4.6.4.pr).
  3. §4.6.5.prnon etiam ad eum, qui metus causa — A verb indicating absence (such as `abest`) is omitted after `metus causa` (because of fear). Additionally, the following clause starting with `quoniam...` explains the logic that if malicious intent (`dolus`) is involved on the part of the person claiming fear, then that fear is not genuine (hence there is no room to consider malicious intent separately).
  4. §4.6.5.1rei publicae causa non absunt — Represents a definitional determination that those who remain in Rome and are engaged in state affairs do not fall under the legal definition of "being absent" (`abesse`), since they are not geographically away from their home or are in the capital city.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §4.6.5.pr-4.6.5.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:4.6.5.pr-4.6.5.1

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