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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §43.14.1.pr-43.14.1.9

Protection of the Freedom of Navigation on Public Waters

Passage 7073 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This section discusses the praetor's interdict protecting the freedom of navigation and loading/unloading on public rivers, lakes, canals, and pools, including its analogous application to tax-farmers and limits regarding driving cattle.

[ULPIANUS libro sexagensimo octauo ad edictum. ] §43.14.1.prPraetor ait: 'Quo minus illi in flumine publico nauem ratem agere quoque minus per ripam onerare exonerare liceat, uim fieri ueto.
The praetor says: "I forbid force to be used to prevent that person from being allowed to steer a ship or raft on a public river, and likewise to prevent him from being allowed to load or unload along the bank.
item ut per lacum fossam stagnum publicum nauigare liceat, interdicam'. §43.14.1.1Hoc interdicto prospicitur, ne quis flumine publico nauigare prohibeatur: sicuti enim ei, qui uia publica uti prohibeatur, interdictum supra propositum est, ita hoc quoque proponendum praetor putauit.
Similarly, I will grant an interdict to allow navigation through a public lake, canal, or pool." By this interdict, provision is made so that no one may be prevented from navigating a public river; for just as an interdict was proposed above for one who is prevented from using a public road, so the praetor thought that this interdict also ought to be proposed.
§43.14.1.2Si priuata sunt supra scripta, interdictum cessat.
If the things written above are private, the interdict does not apply.
§43.14.1.3Lacus est, quod perpetuam habet aquam.
A lake is that which has permanent water.
§43.14.1.4Stagnum est, quod temporalem contineat aquam ibidem stagnantem, quae quidem aqua plerumque hieme cogitur.
A pool is that which contains temporary water stagnating in that place, which water indeed is mostly collected in winter.
§43.14.1.5Fossa est receptaculum aquae manu facta.
A canal is an artificial receptacle of water.
§43.14.1.6Possunt autem etiam haec esse publica.
But these can also be public.
§43.14.1.7Publicano plane, qui lacum uel stagnum conduxit, si piscari prohibeatur, utile interdictum competere Sabinus consentit: et ita Labeo.
Sabinus agrees that an analogous interdict is clearly available to a tax-farmer who has leased a lake or pool, if he is prevented from fishing; and Labeo is of the same opinion.
ergo et si a municipibus conductum habeat, aequissimum erit ob uectigalis fauorem interdicto eum tueri.
Therefore, even if he holds a lease from the municipalities, it will be most equitable to protect him by an interdict, in favor of the public revenue.
§43.14.1.8Si quis uelit interdictum tale mouere, ut locus deprimatur pecoris appellendi gratia, non debet audiri: et ita Mela scribit.
If anyone wishes to bring such an interdict so that a place may be lowered for the purpose of driving cattle there, he ought not to be heard; and Mela writes to this effect.
§43.14.1.9Idem ait tale interdictum competere, ne cui uis fiat, quo minus pecus ad flumen publicum ripamue fluminis publici appellatur.
The same writer says that such an interdict is available to prevent force from being used against anyone so as to obstruct driving cattle to a public river or to the bank of a public river.

Notes

  1. §43.14.1.prQuo minus ... uim fieri ueto — While the verb veto normally takes an accusative with infinitive construction (uim fieri ueto: "I forbid force to be used"), here it is subordinate to quo minus clauses ("lest / to prevent..."), which limit the purpose or effect of the force. Paralleled as quo minus ... quoque minus ..., the entire formula means "I forbid force to be used to prevent [that person] from doing [X] or [Y]."
  2. §43.14.1.7utile interdictum — An "analogous" or "useful" interdict. It refers to an interdict granted by the praetor based on utility (utilitas) and legal analogy, extending relief to a case (such as a tax-farmer's right to fish) to which the original words of the edict (which concern "navigation" in public waters) did not strictly apply.
  3. §43.14.1.8non debet audiri — Literally "he ought not to be heard," this is a technical expression used by Roman jurists to indicate that a plaintiff's or applicant's claim lacks legal grounds and therefore ought to be rejected or dismissed by the praetor without being granted a trial.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §43.14.1.pr-43.14.1.9. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:43.14.1.pr-43.14.1.9

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