Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §40.4.54.pr-40.4.54.1

Clerical Error in Slave's Name and Freedom after Compromise

Passage 6402 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

In §40.4.54.pr, it is ruled that a clerical error in a slave's name does not invalidate the manumission if the identity of the slave is clear, and in §40.4.54.1, testamentary manumissions are held valid if there was no intention of defrauding creditors, even after a compromise with creditors before accepting the inheritance.

[SCAEUOLA libro quarto responsorum. ] §40.4.54.prQui habebat seruum Cratistum, testamento ita cauit: 'seruus meus Cratinus liber esto': quaero, an seruus Cratistus ad libertatem peruenire possit, cum testator seruum Cratinum non habebat, sed hunc solum Cratistum.
[SCAEVOLA in the fourth book of Opinions.] A man who had a slave named Cratistus, provided as follows in his testament: "Let my slave Cratinus be free." I ask whether the slave Cratistus can attain freedom, since the testator did not have a slave named Cratinus, but only this Cratistus.
respondit nihil obesse, quod in syllaba errasset.
He replied that the fact that he had erred in a syllable is no obstacle.
§40.4.54.1Scripti testamento heredes ante aditam hereditatem pacti sunt cum creditoribus, ut parte dimidia contenti essent, et ita decreto a praetore interposito hereditatem adierunt: quaero, an libertates in eo testamento datae competierunt.
The heirs appointed in a testament, before accepting the inheritance, agreed with the creditors that they should be content with a half part, and thus, a decree of the praetor having been interposed, they accepted the inheritance. I ask whether the freedoms granted in that testament were effective.
respondit, si testator fraudandi consilium non habuisset, competere libertates.
He replied that if the testator had not had the intention to defraud, the freedoms are effective.

Notes

  1. §40.4.54.prnihil obesse, quod in syllaba errasset — The infinitive of an impersonal expression `nihil obesse` (is no obstacle) is followed by a noun clause introduced by the conjunction `quod`. The subject of the subjunctive pluperfect `errasset` (syncopated form of `errauisset`) is the omitted testator. It demonstrates that an error in the syllables of a name does not invalidate the manumission, provided that the intended slave can be identified from objective facts.
  2. §40.4.54.1ante aditam hereditatem — A gerundive-like expression where the preposition `ante` is joined with the perfect passive participle `aditam` agreeing with `hereditatem`, meaning "before the acceptance of the inheritance," rather than literally "before the accepted inheritance."
  3. §40.4.54.1ut parte dimidia contenti essent — A subjunctive clause introduced by the conjunction `ut` (imperfect subjunctive `essent`), expressing the content of the preceding verb `pacti sunt` (agreed). The ablative `parte dimidia` (a half part) is the ablative of means or cause required by the adjective `contentus` (satisfied with).
  4. §40.4.54.1decreto a praetore interposito — An ablative absolute construction consisting of the noun `decreto` and the perfect passive participle `interposito`. It means "a decree by the praetor having been interposed," indicating the presence of a judicial decision in the process of accepting the inheritance.
  5. §40.4.54.1si testator fraudandi consilium non habuisset, competere libertates — A conditional sentence in indirect discourse. The conditional clause `si... habuisset` is in the pluperfect subjunctive, while the main clause is in the accusative and infinitive construction (`competere` with `libertates` as its subject). The genitive of the gerund `fraudandi` depends on the noun `consilium` with an objective function, meaning "the intention of defrauding (creditors)."

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §40.4.54.pr-40.4.54.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:40.4.54.pr-40.4.54.1

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