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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §40.9.32.pr-40.9.32.2

Illegality of Marriage Prohibitions under the Lex Aelia Sentia

Passage 6554 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

The passage explains the illegality of imposing marriage prohibitions on a freedwoman without the patron's consent, and details the specific criteria for what constitutes a prohibited binding under the Lex Aelia Sentia.

[IDEM libro octauo ad legem Iuliam et Papiam. ] §40.9.32.prSi non uoluntate patroni is, qui in eius potestate sit, iusiurandum adegerit uel stipulatus fuerit, ne nubat, nisi id patronus remittat aut liberabit libertam, incidet in legem: uidebitur enim id ipsum dolo malo facere.
[THE SAME, from the eighth book on the Lex Iulia et Papia.] If a person who is under the power of a patron, not by the will of the patron, should exact an oath or enter into a stipulation that she shall not marry, unless the patron remits it or releases the freedwoman, he will fall under the law; for he will be deemed to do that very thing with malicious intent.
§40.9.32.1Non prohibentur lege Aelia Sentia patroni a libertis mercedes capere, sed obligare eos: itaque si sponte sua libertus mercedem patrono praestiterit, nullum huius legis praemium consequetur.
Patrons are not prohibited by the Lex Aelia Sentia from receiving rewards from their freedmen, but from binding them; therefore, if a freedman of his own accord should pay a reward to his patron, he will obtain no benefit under this law.
§40.9.32.2Is, qui operas aut in singulas eas certam summam promisit, ad hanc legem non pertinet, quoniam operas praestando potest liberari.
He who has promised services or a fixed sum for each of them does not fall under this law, because he can be released by performing the services.
idem Octauenus probat et adicit: obligare sibi libertum, ut mercedem operarum capiat, is intellegitur, qui hoc solum agit, ut utique mercedem capiat, etiamsi sub titulo operarum eam stipulatus fuerit.
Octavenus approves the same and adds: he is understood to bind a freedman to himself in order to receive a reward for services, who acts solely for this purpose, that he may at all events receive the reward, even if he has stipulated for it under the title of services.

Notes

  1. §40.9.32.prnisi id patronus remittat aut liberabit libertam — The subjunctive present 'remittat' and the future indicative 'liberabit' (where a subjunctive would be expected) are coordinated by 'aut'. In this context, 'liberare' means to release the woman from the obligation of the oath or stipulation.
  2. §40.9.32.1nullum huius legis praemium consequetur — The subject of the verb 'consequetur' is the preceding 'libertus'. Since the Lex Aelia Sentia is intended to protect freedmen from unfair obligations, this means that if the freedman pays of his own accord, he cannot enjoy the protection (such as the right of recovery) provided by this law.
  3. §40.9.32.2obligare sibi libertum, ut mercedem operarum capiat, is intellegitur, qui... — The core structure of the clause is 'is intellegitur [obligare sibi libertum...], qui...' ('he is understood [to bind a freedman to himself...], who...'). The infinitive phrase 'obligare' functions as the complement (predicative nominative) of the passive verb 'intellegitur'.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §40.9.32.pr-40.9.32.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:40.9.32.pr-40.9.32.2

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