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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §41.2.9.pr

General Rule of Possession Held Through Another

Passage 6707 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Regarding possession through another person, Gaius states the general rule that whoever holds property in our name, such as an agent or friend, we are deemed to have possession.

[GAIUS libro uicensimo quinto ad edictum prouinciale. ] §41.2.9.prGeneraliter quisquis omnino nostro nomine sit in possessione, ueluti procurator hospes amicus, nos possidere uidemur.
[GAIUS, in the twenty-fifth book on the Provincial Edict.] In general, whoever is in possession in our name at all, such as an agent, a guest, or a friend, we ourselves are deemed to possess.

Notes

  1. §41.2.9.prnos possidere uidemur — This is a personal passive construction (nominativus cum infinitivo) where the verb *uidemur* (first-person plural of *uideor*, 'to be deemed' or 'to seem') is combined with the active infinitive *possidere*. Literally 'we are deemed to possess,' indicating that legal possession is held by the principal through the physical holding of another.
  2. §41.2.9.prquisquis omnino nostro nomine sit in possessione — This is a general relative clause introduced by the relative pronoun *quisquis*, taking the present subjunctive *sit*. The ablative phrase *nostro nomine* ('in our name' or 'on our behalf') contrasts with *suo nomine* ('in one's own name'), indicating that the person physically holds the property (detention) on behalf of another rather than holding legal possession for themselves.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §41.2.9.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:41.2.9.pr

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