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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §41.2.42.pr-41.2.42.1

Possession of Common Slaves and Acquisition Through Agents

Passage 6740 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This text discusses how a common slave is deemed possessed by all co-owners, and details the conditions (prior mandate or subsequent ratification) under which an agent's purchase acquires possession for the principal.

[ULPIANUS libro quarto regularum. ] §41.2.42.prCommunis seruus etiamsi ab uno ex dominis omnium nomine possideatur, ab omnibus possideri intellegitur.
[ULPIANUS, in the fourth book of Rules.] A common slave, even if he is possessed by one of the masters in the name of all, is understood to be possessed by all.
§41.2.42.1Procurator si quidem mandante domino rem emerit, protinus illi adquirit possessionem: quod si sua sponte emerit, non nisi ratam habuerit dominus emptionem.
If an agent buys a thing on the mandate of his principal, he immediately acquires possession for him; but if he buys it of his own accord, he does not do so unless the principal ratifies the purchase.

Notes

  1. §41.2.42.prpossideri intellegitur — The passive verb `intellegitur` ('is understood') is constructed with the passive infinitive `possideri` ('to be possessed') in a Nominative with Infinitive (NCI) construction, where the subject of the main clause, `communis seruus`, serves as the subject of the infinitive.
  2. §41.2.42.1mandante domino — An ablative absolute construction consisting of the noun `domino` and the present participle `mandante`, expressing the qualifying condition: 'the principal mandating' or 'under the mandate of the principal'.
  3. §41.2.42.1non nisi — The verb phrase `adquirit possessionem` ('acquires possession') from the first clause is omitted by ellipsis after `non`. The phrase `non nisi` ('not unless') sets up a strict condition: '[he does] not [acquire possession] unless the principal has ratified the purchase.'

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §41.2.42.pr-41.2.42.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:41.2.42.pr-41.2.42.1

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