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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §41.1.31.pr-41.1.31.1

Delivery Based on Just Cause and the Definition of Treasure

Passage 6661 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Explains that mere delivery does not transfer ownership unless a just cause precedes it, and defines "treasure," distinguishing it from things temporarily hidden under the earth by others.

[PAULUS libro trigensimo primo ad edictum. ] §41.1.31.prNumquam nuda traditio transfert dominium, sed ita, si uenditio aut aliqua iusta causa praecesserit, propter quam traditio sequeretur.
[PAULUS, On the Edict, book 31] Mere delivery never transfers ownership, but only if a sale or some other just cause has preceded, on account of which delivery would follow.
§41.1.31.1Thensaurus est uetus quaedam depositio pecuniae, cuius non exstat memoria, ut iam dominum non habeat: sic enim fit eius qui inuenerit, quod non alterius sit.
A treasure is an ancient deposit of money, of which no memory exists, so that it no longer has an owner; for in this way it becomes the property of the finder, because it belongs to no one else.
alioquin si quis aliquid uel lucri causa uel metus uel custodiae condiderit sub terra, non est thensaurus: cuius etiam furtum fit.
Otherwise, if anyone has hidden something under the earth either for the sake of gain, or out of fear, or for safekeeping, it is not a treasure; of which even theft can be committed.

Notes

  1. 41.1.31.prsed ita, si — A restrictive conditional elliptical expression, to be understood by supplying the preceding verb as "but only in such a case, if... [it transfers]."
  2. 41.1.31.prpropter quam traditio sequeretur — The imperfect subjunctive sequeretur with the relative pronoun quam (whose antecedent is causa) is a subjunctive of characteristic, indicating that the cause is of such a nature that delivery would follow from it.
  3. 41.1.31.1fit eius qui inuenerit, quod non alterius sit — eius is a genitive of possession meaning "it becomes the property of him who found it." The quod clause expresses the reason ("because..."), and the subjunctive sit indicates a subjective or characteristic ground.
  4. 41.1.31.1cuius etiam furtum fit — cuius is the genitive of the relative pronoun, serving as an objective genitive dependent on the noun furtum. The phrase furtum fit alicuius means "theft of something is committed."

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §41.1.31.pr-41.1.31.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:41.1.31.pr-41.1.31.1

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