[PAULUS libro quinquagensimo quarto ad edictum. ] §41.2.3.prPossideri autem possunt, quae sunt corporalia.
[PAULUS in the fifty-fourth book on the Edict.] But only physical things can be possessed.
§41.2.3.1Et apiscimur possessionem corpore et animo, neque per se animo aut per se corpore.
And we acquire possession by body and mind, and not by mind of itself or by body of itself.
quod autem diximus et corpore et animo adquirere nos debere possessionem, non utique ita accipiendum est, ut qui fundum possidere uelit, omnes glebas circumambulet: sed sufficit quamlibet partem eius fundi introire, dum mente et cogitatione hac sit, uti totum fundum usque ad terminum uelit possidere.
But when we said that we must acquire possession both by body and by mind, this is by no means to be understood in such a way that one who wishes to possess a piece of land must walk around every clod of earth; but it is sufficient to enter any part whatever of that land, provided that he has this mind and thought, that he wishes to possess the whole land up to its boundary.
§41.2.3.2Incertam partem rei possidere nemo potest, ueluti si hac mente sis, ut quidquid Titius possidet, tu quoque uelis possidere.
No one can possess an uncertain part of a thing; for instance, if you should have this mind, that whatever Titius possesses, you also wish to possess.
§41.2.3.3Neratius et Proculus et solo animo non posse nos adquirere possessionem, si non antecedat naturalis possessio.
Neratius and Proculus say that we cannot acquire possession by mind alone either, if natural possession does not precede.
ideoque si thensaurum in fundo meo positum sciam, continuo me possidere, simul atque possidendi affectum habuero, quia quod desit naturali possessioni, id animus implet.
And therefore, if I know that a treasure is placed in my land, they say that I possess it immediately, as soon as I have the intention of possessing, because the mind supplies that which is lacking to natural possession.
ceterum quod Brutus et Manilius putant eum, qui fundum longa possessione cepit, etiam thensaurum cepisse, quamuis nesciat in fundo esse, non est uerum: is enim qui nescit non possidet thensaurum, quamuis fundum possideat.
Furthermore, the opinion of Brutus and Manilius, that he who has acquired a piece of land by long possession has also acquired the treasure, although he does not know it is in the land, is not true; for he who does not know does not possess the treasure, although he possesses the land.
sed et si sciat, non capiet longa possessione, quia scit alienum esse.
But even if he knows, he will not acquire it by long possession, because he knows it belongs to another.
quidam putant Sabini sententiam ueriorem esse nec alias eum qui scit possidere, nisi si loco motus sit, quia non sit sub custodia nostra: quibus consentio.
Some think that the opinion of Sabinus is more true, that the one who knows does not possess it otherwise than if it has been moved from its place, because it is not under our custody; with whom I agree.
§41.2.3.4Ex plurimis causis possidere eandem rem possumus, ut quidam putant et eum, qui usuceperit et pro emptore, et pro suo possidere: sic enim et si ei, qui pro emptore possidebat, heres sim, eandem rem et pro emptore et pro herede possideo: nec enim sicut dominium non potest nisi ex una causa contingere, ita et possidere ex una dumtaxat causa possumus.
We can possess the same thing from very many causes, just as some think that he who has acquired by usucapion possesses both "as purchaser" and "as his own"; for likewise, if I am the heir to him who was possessing "as purchaser", I possess the same thing both "as purchaser" and "as heir"; for it is not the case that, just as ownership cannot arise except from a single cause, so too we can possess from only one cause.
§41.2.3.5Ex contrario plures eandem rem in solidum possidere non possunt: contra naturam quippe est, ut, cum ego aliquid teneam, tu quoque id tenere uidearis.
On the contrary, several persons cannot possess the same thing in its entirety; for it is indeed against nature that, when I hold something, you also should be seen to hold it.
Sabinus tamen scribit eum qui precario dederit et ipsum possidere et eum qui precario acceperit.
Sabinus, however, writes that he who has given by precarium possesses it himself, and also he who has received by precarium.
idem Trebatius probabat existimans posse alium iuste, alium iniuste possidere, duos iniuste uel duos iuste non posse.
Trebatius approved the same, thinking that one can possess justly and another unjustly, but two cannot possess unjustly or two justly.
quem Labeo reprehendit, quoniam in summa possessionis non multum interest, iuste quis an iniuste possideat: quod est uerius.
Labeo censured him, since in the sum of possession it does not matter much whether one possesses justly or unjustly; which is more true.
non magis enim eadem possessio apud duos esse potest, quam ut tu stare uidearis in eo loco, in quo ego sto, uel in quo ego sedeo, tu sedere uidearis.
For the same possession can no more exist in two persons than that you should be seen to stand in the place in which I stand, or that you should be seen to sit where I sit.
§41.2.3.6In amittenda quoque possessione affectio eius qui possidet intuenda est: itaque si in fundo sis et tamen nolis eum possidere, protinus amittes possessionem.
In losing possession also, the intention of the one who possesses must be looked to; therefore, if you are in the land and yet do not wish to possess it, you will immediately lose possession.
igitur amitti et animo solo potest, quamuis adquiri non potest.
Therefore, it can be lost by mind alone, although it cannot be acquired.
§41.2.3.7Sed et si animo solo possideas, licet alius in fundo sit, adhuc tamen possides.
But even if you possess by mind alone, although another is in the land, you nevertheless still possess.
§41.2.3.8Si quis nuntiet domum a latronibus occupatam et dominus timore conterritus noluerit accedere, amississe eum possessionem placet.
If someone should report that a house has been occupied by robbers, and the owner, terrified by fear, has refused to approach, it is held that he has lost possession.
quod si seruus uel colonus, per quos corpore possidebam, decesserint discesserintue, animo retinebo possessionem.
But if a slave or a tenant, through whom I was possessing physically, should die or depart, I shall retain possession by mind.
§41.2.3.9Et si alii tradiderim, amitto possessionem. nam constat possidere nos, donec aut nostra uoluntate discesserimus aut ui deiecti fuerimus.
And if I have delivered it to another, I lose possession; for it is established that we possess until we either depart of our own will or have been ejected by force.