Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §42.5.16.pr

Priority of Purchasers in the Sale of Debtor's Property

Passage 6965 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This text rules on the priority order among strangers, relatives, and creditors when a debtor's property is sold, and establishes that among creditors, priority is given based on the larger amount owed.

[GAIUS libro uicesimo quarto ad edictum prouinciale. ] §42.5.16.prCum bona ueneunt debitoris, in comparatione extranei et eius, qui creditor cognatusue sit, potior habetur creditor cognatusue, magis tamen creditor quam cognatus, et inter creditores potior is, cui maior pecunia debebitur.
[Gaius, on the Provincial Edict, book 24] When the property of a debtor is sold, in a comparison between a stranger and one who is a creditor or a relative, the creditor or relative is held preferable, yet the creditor is preferred to the relative, and among the creditors, he is preferred to whom the larger sum of money is owed.

Notes

  1. 42.5.16.prin comparatione extranei et eius, qui creditor cognatusue sit — 'extranei' and 'eius' are genitives modifying 'comparatione'. The verb 'sit' in the relative clause is in the present subjunctive, functioning as a subjunctive of characteristic to define a general category of persons.
  2. 42.5.16.prpotior habetur — 'habetur' means 'is held' or 'is considered', and takes the comparative adjective 'potior' (preferable, having prior claim) as a predicate nominative.
  3. 42.5.16.prcui maior pecunia debebitur — A relative clause modifying the antecedent 'is'. Literally translated as 'he to whom a larger sum of money shall be owed', meaning the creditor with the larger claim. 'debebitur' is the future passive third-person singular.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §42.5.16.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:42.5.16.pr

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.