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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §40.8.9.pr

Timing of Freedom in Sales with Unspecified Manumission Terms

Passage 6522 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

In response to a query by Latinus Largus, the text discusses when freedom takes effect in a sale of a slave with a condition of manumission but without a specified time limit, arguing that if the agreement is unclear, the favor of freedom dictates specific time limits.

[PAULUS libro quinto quaestionum. ] §40.8.9.prLatinus Largus: uendidit ancillam ita, ut manumitteretur, non addito tempore: quaero, quando ex constitutione incipit ei libertas competere cessante emptore in manumittendo.
[PAULUS, from the fifth book of Questions.] Latinus Largus: He sold a female slave on the condition that she should be manumitted, without any time limit being added. I ask: when, under the constitution, does freedom begin to belong to her if the buyer delays in manumitting?
respondi: inspiciendum est, quid actum sit, utrum, cum primum potuisset, ut manumitteret, an ut in potestate esset emptoris, quando uellet manumittere.
I replied: We must examine what was agreed upon—whether it was that he should manumit her as soon as he possibly could, or that it should be in the power of the buyer to manumit her whenever he wished.
priore casu facile tempus deprehendi poterit: posteriore utique moriente emptore competit libertas.
In the former case, the time can easily be determined; in the latter case, the freedom certainly belongs to her upon the death of the buyer.
si non appareat, quid conuenerit, fauor priorem inducet opinionem, id est ut intra duos menses, si ambo praesto sunt tam seruus quam emptor eius: seruo enim absente nisi emptor intra quattuor menses imposuerit libertatem, ex constitutionibus ad libertatem eripitur.
If it is not clear what was agreed upon, favor will bring in the former opinion, that is, within two months, if both the slave and her buyer are present; for if the slave is absent, unless the buyer grants freedom within four months, the slave is snatched away into freedom in accordance with the constitutions.

Notes

  1. §40.8.9.prcessante emptore in manumittendo — An ablative absolute construction, meaning 'while the buyer delays in manumitting [the slave].' Here, `cessante` is the present participle of `cessare`, and `in manumittendo` (gerund in the ablative) specifies the area of delay.
  2. §40.8.9.prutrum, cum primum potuisset, ut manumitteret, an — A double alternative indirect question introduced by the correlatives `utrum... an...` ('whether... or...'). It specifies the alternative possibilities of `quid actum sit` ('what was agreed upon'), using the subjunctive mood (`potuisset`, `esset`).
  3. §40.8.9.prfauor — Refers to the fundamental principle of interpretation in Roman law known as *favor libertatis* ('favor towards freedom'). When there is doubt in interpretation, the law favors freedom; thus, if the agreement is unclear, the former opinion—which imposes a shorter time limit (two months) for manumission—is preferred.
  4. §40.8.9.prad libertatem eripitur — The passive voice of `eripere` ('to snatch away, rescue'). It expresses a strong remedial nuance where, due to the buyer's negligence, the slave is legally 'snatched away' or 'rescued' from servitude into freedom.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §40.8.9.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:40.8.9.pr

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