[SCAEUOLA libro quarto responsorum. ] §40.5.41.pr'Thais ancilla mea cum heredi meo seruierit annos decem, uolo sit mea liberta'. quaeritur, cum libertam suam esse uoluerit nec id heres facere potuerit nec directa pure data sit libertas, an etiam post decem annos in seruitutem remaneret.
[SCAEVOLA in the fourth book of responsa.] 'If my female slave Thais shall have served my heir for ten years, I wish her to be my freedwoman.' It is asked, since he wished her to be his freedwoman, and the heir could not do that, and freedom was not given directly and unconditionally, whether she would remain in slavery even after ten years.
respondit nihil proponi, cur non Thaidi libertas debeatur.
He replied that nothing is put forward to show why freedom should not be due to Thais.
§40.5.41.1Lucius Titius ita cauit: 'Maeui fili carissime, te rogo, ut, si Stichus et Damas et Pamphilus te promeruerint, aere alieno liberato ne alterius quam tuam seruitutem experiantur': quaero, an, si per heredem steterit, quo minus aes alienum exsolueretur, ex causa fideicommissi libertatem consequi possint.
Lucius Titius made this provision: 'My dearest son Maevius, I request you that, if Stichus and Damas and Pamphilus shall have served you well, once the debt has been discharged, they may experience no other slavery than yours.' I ask whether, if it was due to the heir that the debt was not paid off, they can obtain freedom on the ground of a fideicommissum.
respondit non quidem imputandum heredi, si pro commoditatibus rei suae administrandae aes alienum tardius exsoluerit: uerum si manifeste studium non soluentis ei rei paratum, ut libertatibus mora fieret, probaretur, repraesentandas libertates.
He replied that indeed it should not be imputed to the heir if, for the convenience of administering his estate, he paid off the debt somewhat late; but if a manifest design of not paying, directed to the end that delay should be caused to the freedoms, were proved, the freedoms must be granted immediately.
§40.5.41.2Tutoris, quem et ipsum testamento liberis dederat, fidei commisit de manumittendis seruis ipsius tutoris, sed is a tutela excusatus fuerat: quaero, an eisdem seruis libertatem praestare deberent tutores, qui in locum excusati dati tutelam administrarent.
He committed to the trust of a tutor, whom he had also himself given to his children by will, the manumission of the slaves of the tutor himself, but the latter had been excused from the tutelage. I ask whether the tutors who, having been appointed in place of the excused tutor, administered the tutelage, ought to grant freedom to the same slaves.
respondit secundum ea quae proponerentur libertates et ab heredibus scriptis uideri datas.
He replied that, according to the facts presented, the freedoms seemed to have been given by the appointed heirs as well.
'Seio auri libras tres et Stichum notarium, quem peto manumittas'. §40.5.41.3Seius eodem testamento tutor datus a tutela se excusauit: quaeritur, an nihilo minus fideicommissa libertas debeatur.
'To Seius three pounds of gold and Stichus the stenographer, whom I request you to manumit.' Seius, having been appointed tutor by the same will, excused himself from the tutelage. It is asked whether the fideicommissary freedom is nonetheless due.
respondit nihil proponi, cur non debeatur.
He replied that nothing is put forward to show why it should not be due.
§40.5.41.4Sorore sua herede instituta de seruis ita cauit: 'Βούλομαι καὶ παρακαλῶ, γλυκυτάτη μου ἀδελφή, ἐν παρακαταθήκῃ σε ἔχειν Στίχον καὶ Δάμαν τοὺς πραγματευτάς μου, οὓς ἐγὼ οὐκ ἠλευθέρωσα, ἄχρις ἂν τὰς ψήφους ἀποκαταστήσωσιν: ἐὰν δὲ καὶ σοὶ ἀρέσκωσιν, ἐμήνυσα σοὶ τὴν γνώμην μου'.
Having appointed his sister as heir, he made this provision concerning his slaves: 'Βούλομαι καὶ παρακαλῶ, γλυκυτάτη μου ἀδελφή, ἐν παρακαταθήκῃ σε ἔχειν Στίχον καὶ Δάμαν τοὺς πραγματευτάς μου, οὓς ἐγὼ οὐκ ἠλευθέρωσα, ἄχρις ἂν τὰς ψήφους ἀποκαταστήσωσιν: ἐὰν δὲ καὶ σοὶ ἀρέσκωσιν, ἐμήνυσα σοὶ τὴν γνώμην μου'.
quaero, si paratis actoribus rationes reddere heres libertatem non praestet, dicendo eos non placere sibi, an audienda esset.
I ask whether, if the agents are ready to render their accounts but the heir does not grant them freedom, saying that they do not please her, she ought to be heard.
respondit non spectandum, quod heredibus displiceret, sed id quod uiro bono posset placere, ut libertatem consequantur.
He replied that one must not look to what displeases the heirs, but to what could please an honorable man, so that they may obtain freedom.
§40.5.41.5Lucia Titia heredum fidei commisit, uti Pamphilam ancillam Seiae cum filiis eius redimerent et manumitterent, et iuridicus, quanti singuli essent redimendi, aestimauit: medio tempore Pamphila, antequam pecunia solueretur, peperit: quaero, id quod natum est ex Pamphila utrum ad heredes Seiae an ad heredem Titiae pertineat.
Lucia Titia committed to the trust of her heirs to redeem and manumit Pamphila, the female slave of Seia, along with her children, and the judge assessed at what price each of them was to be redeemed. In the meantime, before the money was paid, Pamphila gave birth. I ask whether that which was born of Pamphila belongs to the heirs of Seia or to the heir of Titia.
respondit id, quod natum est ex Pamphila, eius quidem esse, cuius ea fuerat tunc cum pareret: uerum heredem, si moram fideicommissae libertati fecit, compellendum partum quoque ad libertatem perducere.
He replied that what was born of Pamphila belongs indeed to the person to whom she belonged at the time she gave birth; but if the heir caused delay to the fideicommissary freedom, he must be compelled to bring the offspring also to freedom.
§40.5.41.6Lucius Titius ita testamento cauit: 'medicos tibi commendo illum et illum: in tuo iudicio erit, ut habeas bonos libertos et medicos. quod si ego libertatem eis dedissem, ueritus sum, quod sorori meae carissimae fecerunt medici serui eius manumissi ab ea, qui salario expleto reliquerunt eam': quaero, an fideicommissa libertas supra scriptis competere potest.
Lucius Titius made this provision in his will: 'medicos tibi commendo illum et illum: in tuo iudicio erit, ut habeas bonos libertos et medicos. quod si ego libertatem eis dedissem, ueritus sum, quod sorori meae carissimae fecerunt medici serui eius manumissi ab ea, qui salario expleto reliquerunt eam': I ask whether the fideicommissary freedom can belong to the above-mentioned persons.
respondit secundum ea quae proponerentur non necessitatem heredibus impositam, sed arbitrium permissum.
He replied that, according to the facts presented, no necessity was imposed on the heirs, but discretion was permitted.
§40.5.41.7Titius Sticho seruo suo libertatem dedit, si rationes sic dederit: quaero, an ratio per eum gesta ita putari debeat, ut damna, quae casu contigerunt, ad onus reliquorum non pertineant.
Titius gave freedom to his slave Stichus if he should render his accounts in this manner. I ask whether the account managed by him ought to be computed in such a way that losses which occurred by chance do not belong to the burden of the remaining balance.
respondit in negotio, quod uoluntate domini administrasse proponatur, ea damna, quae casu ita acciderint, ut seruo nihil possit imputari, non pertinere ad reliquorum onus.
He replied that, in a business which it is presented he administered by the will of his master, those losses which occurred by chance in such a way that nothing can be imputed to the slave do not belong to the burden of the remaining balance.
§40.5.41.8Item quaero, cum omne peculium reddere iussus sit, an ita peculium computari debeat, ut id solum peculii esse uideatur, quod quaque ex causa domino debeat superesse.
I also ask whether, since he was ordered to return his entire peculium, the peculium ought to be computed in such a way that only that which, for whatever reason, ought to remain to the master is seen to be part of the peculium.
respondit in ea specie, de qua quaereretur, non debere deduci ex peculio, quod domino debeatur.
He replied that, in the case about which it was asked, that which is owed to the master ought not to be deducted from the peculium.
§40.5.41.9Item quaero, an, si ex reliquis in peculio aliquid conuerterit, deduci hoc ex peculio reddendo debeat.
I also ask whether, if he converted something from the remaining balance into his peculium, this ought to be deducted from the peculium to be returned.
respondit, si id, quod ex causa quae proponeretur in peculium uersum est, reliquorum nomine desolutum est, fieri satis condicioni, si id, quod reliquum est peculii, soluatur.
He replied that, if that which, according to the presented facts, was converted into the peculium has been paid on account of the remaining balance, the condition is satisfied if that which remains of the peculium is paid.