[ULPIANUS libro septuagensimo primo ad edictum. ] §43.30.3.prDeinde ait praetor: 'Si Lucius Titius in potestate Lucii Titii est, quo minus eum Lucio Titio ducere liceat, uim 'fieri ueto'. §43.30.3.1Superiora interdicta exhibitoria sunt, hoc est pertinent ad exhibitionem liberorum ceterorumque, de quibus supra diximus: hoc autem interdictum pertinet ad ductionem, ut ducere quis possit eos, in quos habet ius ductionis.
Then the praetor says: "If Lucius Titius is in the power of Lucius Titius, I forbid force to be used to prevent Lucius Titius from taking him away." The previous interdicts are production-ordering, that is, they relate to the production of children and the other persons whom we have mentioned above; but this interdict relates to taking away, so that one may take away those over whom one has the right of taking away.
itaque prius interdictum, quod est de liberis exhibendis, praeparatorium est huius interdicti: quo magis enim quis duci possit, exhibendus fuit.
Therefore, the former interdict, which is about producing children, is preparatory to this interdict; for in order that one may be more able to be taken away, he had to be produced.
§43.30.3.2Ex iisdem causis hoc interdictum tribuendum est, ex quibus causis de exhibendis liberis competere diximus: itaque quaecumque ibi diximus, eadem hic quoque dicta accipienda sunt.
This interdict is to be granted on the same grounds on which we have said that the interdict for producing children is available; therefore, whatever we have said there must be accepted as said here as well.
§43.30.3.3Hoc autem interdictum competit non aduersus ipsum filium, quem quis ducere uult, sed utique esse debet is qui eum interdicto defendat: ceterum cessat interdictum, et succedere poterit notio praetoris, ut apud eum disceptetur, utrum quis in potestate sit an non sit.
But this interdict is available not against the son himself whom one wants to take away, but there must by all means be someone to defend him in the interdict proceedings; otherwise, the interdict ceases to apply, and the investigation of the praetor can take its place, so that it may be disputed before him whether one is in power or not.
§43.30.3.4Iulianus ait, quotiens id interdictum mouetur de filio ducendo uel cognitio et is de quo agitur impubes est, alias differri oportere rem in tempus pubertatis, alias repraesentari: idque ex persona eorum, inter quos controuersia erit, et ex genere causae constituendum est.
Julian says that whenever this interdict is brought for taking away a son, or an investigation is held, and the person in question is under age, the matter ought in some cases to be postponed to the age of puberty, and in other cases to be conducted immediately; and this must be decided based on the character of the disputing parties and on the nature of the case.
nam si is, qui se patrem dicit, auctoritatis prudentiae fidei exploratae esset, usque in diem litis impuberem apud se habebit: is uero, qui controuersiam facit, humilis calumniator notae nequitiae, repraesentanda cognitio est.
For if he who calls himself the father is of established authority, wisdom, and good faith, he will have the underage child with him until the day of the trial; but if he who raises the dispute is a low-born accuser of known wickedness, the investigation must be conducted immediately.
item si is, qui impuberem negat in aliena potestate esse, uir omnibus modis probatus, tutor uel testamento uel a praetore datus pupillum, quem in diem litis apud se habuit, tuetur, is uero, qui patrem se dicit, suspectus est quasi calumniator, differri litem non oportebit.
Likewise, if he who denies that the underage child is in another's power is a man approved in every way, a guardian appointed either by will or by the praetor, and defends the ward whom he has kept with him until the day of the trial, while he who calls himself the father is suspected of being an accuser, the trial must not be postponed.
si uero utraque persona suspecta est aut tamquam infirma aut tamquam turpis, non erit alienum, inquit, disponi, apud quem interim puer educeretur et controuersiam in tempus pubertatis differri, ne per collusionem uel imperitiam alterutrius contendentium aut alienae potestati pater familias addicatur aut filius alienus patris familiae loco constituatur.
But if both parties are suspected either as untrustworthy or as disreputable, it will not be out of place, he says, for a decision to be made as to with whom the boy should be brought up in the meantime, and for the dispute to be postponed to the age of puberty, lest through collusion or lack of skill of either of the disputants a head of household be assigned to another's power, or a stranger's son be established in the position of a head of household.
§43.30.3.5Etiamsi maxime autem probet filium pater in sua potestate esse, tamen causa cognita mater in retinendo eo potior erit, idque decretis diui Pii quibusdam continetur: optinuit enim mater ob nequitiam patris, ut sine deminutione patriae potestatis apud eam filius moretur.
But even if the father should prove in the highest degree that the son is in his power, nevertheless, after an inquiry, the mother will have the stronger claim to retain him, and this is contained in certain decrees of the Divine Pius; for the mother obtained, on account of the wickedness of the father, that the son should stay with her without any diminution of paternal power.
§43.30.3.6In hoc interdicto, donec res iudicetur, feminam, praetextatum eumque, qui proxime praetextati aetatem accedet, interim apud matrem familias deponi praetor iubet.
In this interdict, until the case is decided, the praetor orders that a woman, a child wearing the praetexta, and one who very closely approaches the age of wearing the praetexta, be deposited in the meantime with a mistress of a household.
proxime aetatem praetextati accedere eum dicimus, qui puberem aetatem nunc ingressus est.
We say that one very closely approaches the age of wearing the praetexta who has now just entered the age of puberty.
cum audis matrem familias, accipe notae auctoritatis feminam.
When you hear "mistress of a household", understand a woman of established authority.