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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §40.9.5.pr-40.9.5.2

Heir's Solvency and Fraudulent Manumissions under Obligations

Passage 6527 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This passage explains the relationship between the solvency of an inheritance and testamentary manumission, and provides criteria for determining whether releasing specific slaves in alternative obligations or pledges constitutes fraud against creditors.

[IULIANUS libro sexagensimo quarto digestorum. ] §40.9.5.prCum hereditas soluendo non est, quamuis heres locuples existat, libertas ex testamento competit.
[IULIANUS, from the sixty-fourth book of digests.] When an inheritance is not solvent, although the heir is wealthy, freedom under a will is valid.
§40.9.5.1Si autem is qui soluendo non est hoc modo libertatem dederit 'si creditoribus meis solidum solutum fuerit, Stichus liber esto', non potest uideri fraudandorum creditorum liberos esse iussisse.
If, however, a person who is insolvent grants freedom in this manner, "If my creditors are paid in full, let Stichus be free," he cannot be deemed to have ordered them to be free for the purpose of defrausing his creditors.
§40.9.5.2Si Titius nihil amplius in bonis quam Stichum et Pamphilum habeat eosque stipulanti Maeuio ita promiserit Stichum aut Pamphilum dare spondes?, deinde, cum alium creditorem non haberet, Stichum manumiserit: libertas per legem Aeliam Sentiam rescinditur.
If Titius has nothing more in his property than Stichus and Pamphilus, and has promised them to Maevius, who asks for a stipulation, in this way: "Do you promise to give Stichus or Pamphilus?", and then, while having no other creditor, manumits Stichus: the freedom is rescinded by the Lex Aelia Sentia.
quamuis enim fuit in potestate Titii, ut Pamphilum daret, tamen quamdiu eum non dederit, quia interim mori possit, non sine fraude stipulatoris Stichum manumisit.
For although it was within Titius's power to give Pamphilus, nevertheless, as long as he has not given him, since Pamphilus might die in the meantime, he does not manumit Stichus without fraud to the stipulator.
quod si solum Pamphilum dari promississet, non dubitarem, quin Stichus ad libertatem perueniret, quamuis similiter Pamphilus mori possit: multum enim interest, contineatur ipsa stipulatione is qui manumittitur an extra obligationem sit.
But if he had promised that only Pamphilus be given, I would not doubt that Stichus would attain freedom, although Pamphilus might similarly die: for there is a great difference whether the person who is manumitted is included in the stipulation itself, or is outside the obligation.
nam et qui ob aureos quinque Stichum et Pamphilum pignori dederit, cum uterque eorum quinum aureorum sit, neuter manumitti potest: at si Stichum solum pignori dederit, Pamphilum non uidetur in fraudem creditoris manumittere.
For even one who has given Stichus and Pamphilus in pledge for five aurei, although each of them is worth five aurei, can manumit neither: but if he had given only Stichus in pledge, he is not deemed to manumit Pamphilus to the fraud of the creditor.

Notes

  1. §40.9.5.prsoluendo — soluendo is the dative of the gerundive (from the verb soluere). Together with the verb esse, it forms the idiomatic legal expression soluendo esse meaning "to be solvent" (here used with the negation non).
  2. §40.9.5.1fraudandorum creditorum — Genitive plural of the gerundive fraudandorum and the noun creditorum. It is understood as an ellipsis of a noun indicating purpose or intent, such as causa or animo, meaning "for the purpose of defrauding creditors."
  3. §40.9.5.2quin Stichus ad libertatem perueniret — A quin clause with the subjunctive, introduced by the negated verb of doubting non dubitarem. The subjunctive imperfect perueniret is used in accordance with the tense of the main clause (imperfect subjunctive/contrary-to-fact).
  4. §40.9.5.2contineatur... an... sit — An alternative indirect question clause serving as the subject of the impersonal verb interest ("there is a great difference"). The present subjunctive (contineatur, sit) is used.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §40.9.5.pr-40.9.5.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:40.9.5.pr-40.9.5.2

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