Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §43.24.16.pr-43.24.16.2

Standing of Non-Possessors and Duties of Act and Possession

Passage 7143 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Explains the applicability of the interdict on force or stealth to non-possessors, using the cutting down of non-fruit-bearing trees as an example of the interest of owners versus usufructuaries, and summarizes the distribution of duties based on whether the parties performed the act and/or possess the property.

[PAULUS libro sexagensimo septimo ad edictum. ] §43.24.16.prCompetit hoc interdictum etiam his, qui non possident, si modo eorum interest.
[PAULUS libro sexagensimo septimo ad edictum.] This interdict is available even to those who do not possess, provided only that they have an interest.
§43.24.16.1Si quis ui aut clam arbores non frugiferas ceciderit, ueluti cupressos, domino dumtaxat competit interdictum.
If anyone has by force or stealth cut down non-fruit-bearing trees, such as cypresses, the interdict is available only to the owner.
sed si amoenitas quaedam ex huiusmodi arboribus praestetur, potest dici et fructuarii interesse propter uoluptatem et gestationem et esse huic interdicto locum.
But if some amenity is provided by trees of this kind, it can be said both that it is in the interest of the usufructuary on account of pleasure and recreation, and that there is room for this interdict.
§43.24.16.2In summa qui ui aut clam fecit, si possidet, patientiam et impensam tollendi operis: qui fecit nec possidet, impensam: qui possidet nec fecit, patientiam tantum debet.
In short, he who did it by force or stealth, if he possesses, owes tolerance and the expense of removing the work; he who did it but does not possess, the expense; he who possesses but did not do it, owes tolerance only.

Notes

  1. 43.24.16.preorum interest — The genitive with the impersonal verb interest ("it is in their interest"), using the genitive of the third person plural pronoun eorum. It points to the criterion for determining the rights of non-possessors (qui non possident).
  2. 43.24.16.1fructuarii interesse propter uoluptatem et gestationem — The infinitive clauses "et fructuarii interesse..." and "et esse huic interdicto locum" are both accusative with infinitive (A.C.I.) constructions governed by the impersonal "potest dici" ("it can be said"). It establishes that even with non-fruit-bearing trees (arbores non frugiferas), as long as they provide "pleasure (uoluptas)" through aesthetics or a path for recreation (gestatio), the usufructuary (fructuarius) is deemed to have an "interest (interesse)".
  3. 43.24.16.2tollendi operis — This is a gerundive construction where the gerundive "tollendi" agrees in gender, number, and case (genitive, neuter, singular) with the noun "operis", modifying "impensam" (expense). It literally means "the expense of removing the work."
  4. 43.24.16.2patientiam tantum debet — This sentence (from "In summa") places the verb "debet" at the end, while omitting it in the first two clauses ("qui... fecit... [debet]" and "qui fecit... [debet]"). It structurally balances and contrasts the liability of tolerance (patientia) and expense (impensa) among three scenarios: (1) he who did it and possesses, (2) he who did it but does not possess, and (3) he who possesses but did not do it.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §43.24.16.pr-43.24.16.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:43.24.16.pr-43.24.16.2

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