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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §41.2.49.pr-41.2.49.2

Acquisition via Usufructuary Slaves and Agents

Passage 6747 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Discusses the acquisition of possession through a slave subject to usufruct, the inability of those under another's power to possess or own their peculium, and the rules governing acquisition of possession through an agent and the transfer of the action on eviction.

[IDEM libro secundo definitionum. ] §41.2.49.prPossessio quoque per seruum, cuius usus fructus meus est, ex re mea uel ex operis serui adquiritur mihi, cum et naturaliter a fructuario teneatur et plurimum ex iure possessio mutuetur.
[THE SAME, in the second book of Definitions.] Possession through a slave of whom I have the usufruct is also acquired for me, either from my own property or from the labor of the slave, since he is held physically by the usufructuary and possession derives much from the law.
§41.2.49.1Qui in aliena potestate sunt, rem peculiarem tenere possunt, habere possidere non possunt, quia possessio non tantum corporis, sed et iuris est.
Those who are under another's power can hold a peculium, but they cannot have or possess it, because possession is a matter not only of physical fact but also of law.
§41.2.49.2Etsi possessio per procuratorem ignoranti quaeritur, usucapio uero scienti competit, tamen euictionis actio domino contra uenditorem inuito procuratore non datur, sed per actionem mandati ea cedere cogitur.
Although possession through an agent is acquired for one who is ignorant of it, whereas usucapion is competent only to one who is aware, nevertheless, the action on eviction is not granted to the owner against the seller against the will of the agent, but the agent is compelled by the action on mandate to cede it.

Notes

  1. §41.2.49.prmutuetur — Subjunctive passive in the cum clause. The phrase ex iure possessio mutuetur (possession borrows/derives much from the law) explains that possession is not merely a matter of physical holding (naturaliter tenere) but heavily relies on legal construction.
  2. §41.2.49.1habere possidere — Infinitives juxtaposed without a conjunction (asyndeton). Contrasted with physical holding (tenere), they show that both legitimate ownership (habere) and legal possession (possidere) are denied to those under another's power.
  3. §41.2.49.2ea cedere cogitur — ea is the accusative feminine singular referring back to euictionis actio. The subject of cogitur is the agent (procurator). The agent is compelled, via the action on mandate (actionem mandati), to cede (cedere) the action on eviction to the owner (dominus).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §41.2.49.pr-41.2.49.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:41.2.49.pr-41.2.49.2

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