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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §4.9.5.pr-4.9.5.1

Custody Liability for Service Providers and Protection from Damage

Passage 879 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Gaius explains that although sailors, innkeepers, and stablekeepers are compensated for services other than safekeeping, they are still liable for custody (just as fullers and menders are), and asserts that this custody liability encompasses not only theft but also damage.

[GAIUS libro quinto ad edictum prouinciale. ] §4.9.5.prNauta et caupo et stabularius mercedem accipiunt non pro custodia, sed nauta ut traiciat uectores, caupo ut uiatores manere in caupona patiatur, stabularius ut permittat iumenta apud eum stabulari: et tamen custodiae nomine tenentur.
[GAIUS in his fifth book on the Provincial Edict.] A sailor, an innkeeper, and a stablekeeper receive compensation not for safe-keeping, but the sailor in order that he may transport passengers, the innkeeper so that he may allow travelers to stay in the inn, and the stablekeeper so that he may permit beasts of burden to be stabled with him; and yet they are held liable under the head of custody.
nam et fullo et sarcinator non pro custodia, sed pro arte mercedem accipiunt, et tamen custodiae nomine ex locato tenentur.
For both a fuller and a mender receive compensation not for custody, but for their skill, and yet they are held liable under the head of custody on the contract of letting.
§4.9.5.1Quaecumque de furto diximus, eadem et de damno debent intellegi: non enim dubitari oportet, quin is, qui saluum fore recipit, non solum a furto, sed etiam a damno recipere uideatur.
Whatever we have said concerning theft must also be understood concerning damage; for it ought not to be doubted that he who undertakes that a thing will be safe is seen to undertake its safe-keeping not only from theft, but also from damage.

Notes

  1. 4.9.5.prnauta ut traiciat uectores, caupo ut uiatores manere in caupona patiatur, stabularius ut permittat iumenta apud eum stabulari — The preceding verb `mercedem accipiunt` (they receive compensation) is understood and omitted in each of these clauses, establishing a parallel structure: 'the sailor [receives compensation] in order to..., the innkeeper [receives compensation] so that...'. The word `stabulari` is a passive infinitive, taking `iumenta` (beasts of burden, accusative) as its subject accusative under the governing verb `permittat`.
  2. 4.9.5.1saluum fore recipit — `saluum` is an adjective in the accusative neuter singular, and `fore` is the alternative form of the future infinitive `futurum esse`. Together they form an accusative-with-infinitive clause acting as the object of `recipit` ('undertakes that [the thing] will be safe'), where the specific object of the bailment is omitted but understood.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §4.9.5.pr-4.9.5.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:4.9.5.pr-4.9.5.1

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