Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §40.5.44.pr

Right of a Slave to Sue the Master for Trust Freedom

Passage 6457 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Pomponius states that a slave may rightfully bring a legal action against their master concerning the granting of freedom left by fideicommissum.

[POMPONIUS libro septimo ad Sabinum. ] §40.5.44.prDe libertate fideicommissaria praestanda seruus cum domino recte contendit.
[POMPONIUS in the seventh book on Sabinus.] A slave rightfully litigates with his master concerning the granting of freedom left by fideicommissum.

Notes

  1. §40.5.44.prDe libertate fideicommissaria praestanda — The preposition de (concerning) is followed by the gerundive praestanda agreeing with the noun libertate and the adjective fideicommissaria, functioning to express the verbal noun concept of "concerning the granting of fideicommissary freedom".
  2. §40.5.44.prrecte contendit — Although slaves in Roman law generally lacked legal standing to bring lawsuits, they are "rightfully" (recte) permitted to litigate (contendere) against their master as an exception, specifically to demand the fulfillment of freedom left by fideicommissum.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §40.5.44.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:40.5.44.pr

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