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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §43.22.1.pr-43.22.1.11

Interdicts on the Use and Repair of Springs and Wells

Passage 7124 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian explains the praetorian interdicts concerning the use and repair of springs, wells, pools, and fish-ponds, emphasizing that these apply only to sources of 'living water' (excluding rain-fed cisterns) and defining the scope of permitted maintenance.

[ULPIANUS libro septuagensimo ad edictum. ] §43.22.1.prPraetor ait: 'Uti de eo fonte, quo de agitur, hoc anno aqua nec ui nec clam nec precario ab illo usus es, quo minus ita utaris, uim fieri ueto.
[ULPIAN, from the seventieth book on the edict.] The praetor says: 'In the manner that you have used the water from the spring in question this year, without force, without secrecy, and without permission from him, I forbid force to be used to prevent you from using it in that manner.
de lacu puteo piscina item interdicam'. §43.22.1.1Hoc interdictum proponitur ei, qui fontana aqua uti prohibetur: seruitutes enim non tantum aquae ducendae esse solent, uerum etiam hauriendae, et sicut discretae sunt seruitutes ductus aquae et haustus aquae, ita interdicta separatim redduntur.
I will likewise issue an interdict regarding a pool, a well, and a fish-pond.' This interdict is proposed for one who is prohibited from using water from a spring; for servitudes are accustomed to exist not only for drawing water, but also for drawing water, and just as the servitudes of drawing water and drawing water are distinct, so the interdicts are granted separately.
§43.22.1.2Hoc autem interdictum locum habet, si quis uti prohibeatur aqua, hoc est siue haurire prohibeatur siue etiam pecus ad aquam appellere.
Now this interdict takes place if anyone is prohibited from using water, that is, whether he is prohibited from drawing water or even from driving his cattle to the water.
§43.22.1.3Et eadem sunt hic dicenda, quae ad personam attinent, quaecumque in superioribus interdictis diximus.
And the same things must be said here regarding the persons as we have said in the case of the preceding interdicts.
§43.22.1.4Hoc interdictum de cisterna non competit: nam cisterna non habet perpetuam causam nec uiuam aquam.
This interdict does not apply to a cistern; for a cistern does not have a perpetual cause nor living water.
ex quo apparet in his omnibus exigendum, ut uiua aqua sit: cisternae autem imbribus concipiuntur.
From this it appears that in all these cases it is required that there be living water; but cisterns are filled by rain.
denique constat interdictum cessare, si lacus piscina puteus uiuam aquam non habeat.
Consequently, it is established that the interdict is of no effect if a pool, a fish-pond, or a well does not have living water.
§43.22.1.5Plane si quis ire ad haustum prohibeatur, aeque interdictum sufficiet.
Clearly, if anyone is prohibited from going to draw water, the interdict will equally suffice.
§43.22.1.6Deinde ait praetor: 'Quo minus fontem, quo de agitur, purges reficias, ut aquam coercere utique ea possis, dum ne aliter utaris, atque uti hoc anno non ui non clam non precario ab illo usus es, uim fieri ueto'. §43.22.1.7Hoc interdictum eandem habet utilitatem, quam habet interdictum de riuis reficiendis: nisi enim purgare et reficere fontem licuerit, nullus usus eius erit.
Next the praetor says: 'I forbid force to be used to prevent you from cleaning and repairing the spring in question, so that you may at all events be able to confine the water in it, provided that you do not use it otherwise than as you have used it this year, without force, without secrecy, and without permission from him.' This interdict has the same utility as the interdict concerning the repair of channels; for unless it is permitted to clean and repair the spring, there will be no use of it.
§43.22.1.8Purgandus autem et reficiendus est ad aquam coercendam, ut uti quis aqua possit, dummodo non aliter utatur, quam sic uti hoc anno usus est.
Now it must be cleaned and repaired for the purpose of confining the water, so that one can use the water, provided that he does not use it otherwise than as he has used it this year.
§43.22.1.9Coercere aquam est continere sic, ne diffluat, ne dilabatur, dummodo non permittatur cui nouas quaerere uel aperire: hic enim innouat aliquid praeter id, quam praecedenti anno usus est.
To confine water is to hold it back in such a way that it does not flow away or disappear, provided that no one is permitted to seek or open new veins of water; for in doing this, he introduces something new beyond that which he used in the preceding year.
§43.22.1.10Sed et de lacu puteo piscina reficiendis purgandis interdictum competit.
But the interdict also applies to the repairing and cleaning of a pool, a well, and a fish-pond.
§43.22.1.11Et omnibus personis dabitur, quibus permittitur interdictum de aqua aestiua.
And it will be granted to all persons to whom the interdict concerning summer water is allowed.

Notes

  1. §43.22.1.pruti — Here 'uti' is not the infinitive of the verb 'utor', but an archaic and formal spelling of the comparative adverb 'ut' (as, in the manner that). It introduces the subordinate clause 'uti ... usus es' (in the manner that you have used) and correlates with 'ita utaris' (to use in that manner) in the main clause.
  2. §43.22.1.1aquae ducendae — This is the genitive feminine singular of the gerundive agreeing with the genitive noun 'aquae', modifying the noun 'seruitutes' (servitudes of drawing water). The following 'hauriendae' is likewise a gerundive with the noun 'aquae' implied.
  3. §43.22.1.4exigendum — This is the accusative neuter singular of the impersonal gerundive with 'esse' omitted, forming an accusative-with-infinitive construction (exigendum esse) which functions as the subject of 'apparet' (it appears that it must be required). The noun clause 'ut uiua aqua sit' expresses what is required.
  4. §43.22.1.6atque uti — 'atque' is used after 'aliter' (otherwise) to introduce the standard of comparison ('other than...'). 'uti' is, as in the prologue, the archaic spelling of the adverb 'ut' (as).
  5. §43.22.1.9cui — This is the dative singular masculine of the indefinite pronoun 'quis'. After certain particles like 'dummodo' (provided that), the prefix 'ali-' of 'aliquis' is regularly dropped, leaving 'quis' (anyone).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §43.22.1.pr-43.22.1.11. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:43.22.1.pr-43.22.1.11

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