[ULPIANUS libro uicensimo secundo ad edictum. ] §45.1.75.prUbi autem non apparet, quid quale quantumque est in stipulatione, incertam esse stipulationem dicendum est.
[ULPIANUS, On the Edict, Book 22] But where it is not clear in a stipulation what, of what quality, and how much it is, it must be said that the stipulation is uncertain.
§45.1.75.1Ergo si qui fundum sine propria appellatione uel hominem generaliter sine proprio nomine aut uinum frumentumue sine qualitate dari sibi stipulatur, incertum deducit in obligationem.
Therefore, if anyone stipulates for an estate to be given to him without its proper designation, or for a slave generally without his proper name, or for wine or grain without its quality, he brings an uncertain thing into the obligation.
§45.1.75.2Usque adeo, ut, si quis ita stipulatus sit 'tritici Africi boni modios centum' 'uini Campani boni amphoras centum', incertum uideatur stipulari, quia bono melius inueniri potest: quo fit, ut boni appellatio non sit certae rei significatiua, cum id, quod bono melius sit, ipsum quoque bonum sit.
To such an extent that, if anyone has stipulated thus: "a hundred modii of good African wheat", "a hundred amphorae of good Campanian wine", he is deemed to stipulate for what is uncertain, because something better than "good" can be found; whence it happens that the designation "good" is not indicative of a certain thing, since that which is better than "good" is itself also good.
at cum optimum quisque stipulatur, id stipulari intellegitur, cuius bonitas principalem gradum bonitatis habet: quae res efficit, ut ea appellatio certi significatiua sit.
But when anyone stipulates for "the best", he is understood to stipulate for that whose quality holds the chief grade of goodness; which circumstance causes that designation to be indicative of a certain thing.
§45.1.75.3Fundi certi si quis usum fructum stipulatus fuerit, incertum intellegitur in obligationem deduxisse: hoc enim magis iure utimur.
If anyone has stipulated for the usufruct of a certain estate, he is understood to have brought what is uncertain into the obligation; for we rather employ this rule of law.
§45.1.75.4Illud dubitationem recipit, si quis id, quod ex Arethusa ancilla natum erit, aut fructus, qui in fundo Tusculano nati erunt, dari sibi stipulatus sit, an certum stipulatus uideatur.
This admits of doubt: if anyone has stipulated for that which shall be born of the female slave Arethusa, or for the fruits which shall be produced on the Tusculan estate, to be given to him, whether he is deemed to have stipulated for what is certain.
sed ipsa natura manifestissimum est incerti esse hanc stipulationem.
But by its very nature, it is most manifest that this stipulation is of an uncertain thing.
§45.1.75.5Sed qui uinum aut oleum uel triticum, quod in horreo est, stipulatur, certum stipulari intellegitur.
But he who stipulates for wine or oil or wheat which is in a warehouse is understood to stipulate for what is certain.
§45.1.75.6Qui uero a Titio ita stipulatur: 'quod mihi Seius debet, dare spondes?' et qui ita stipulatur: 'quod ex testamento mihi debes, dare spondes?', incertum in obligationem deducit, licet Seius certum debeat uel ex testamento certum debeatur.
But he who stipulates from Titius thus: "Do you promise to give what Seius owes me?" and he who stipulates thus: "Do you promise to give what you owe me under a will?", brings what is uncertain into the obligation, although Seius owes what is certain, or what is certain is owed under the will.
quamuis istae species uix separari possint ab ea, quam proposuimus de uino uel oleo uel tritico, quod in horreo repositum est: et adhuc occurrit, quod fideiussores certum uidentur promittere, si modo et is, pro quo obligentur, certum debeat, cum alioquin ita interrogentur: 'id fide tua esse iubes?' §45.1.75.7Qui id, quod in faciendo aut non faciendo consistit, stipulatur, incertum stipulari uidetur: in faciendo, ueluti 'fossam fodiri' 'domum aedificari' 'uacuam possessionem tradi': in non faciendo, ueluti 'per te non fieri, quo minus mihi per fundum tuum ire agere liceat' 'per te non fieri, quo minus mihi hominem Erotem habere liceat'.
Although these cases can scarcely be separated from that which we proposed concerning wine, oil, or wheat stored in a warehouse; and this also occurs: that sureties seem to promise what is certain, provided that he also, for whom they are bound, owes what is certain, since otherwise they are questioned thus: "Do you command that this be on your credit?" He who stipulates for that which consists in doing or not doing is deemed to stipulate for what is uncertain: in doing, as "a ditch to be dug", "a house to be built", "vacant possession to be delivered"; in not doing, as "that it shall not be done by you to prevent me from going and driving through your estate", "that it shall not be done by you to prevent me from having the slave Eros".
§45.1.75.8Qui illud aut illud stipulatur, ueluti 'decem uel hominem Stichum', utrum certum an incertum deducat in obligationem, non immerito quaeritur: nam et res certae designantur et utra earum potius praestanda sit, in incerto est.
He who stipulates for this or that, as "ten (aurei) or the slave Stichus", it is not without reason asked whether he brings what is certain or uncertain into the obligation; for both certain things are designated, and which of them is rather to be performed is in uncertainty.
sed utcumque is, qui sibi electionem constituit adiectis his uerbis 'utrum ego uelim', potest uideri certum stipulatus, cum ei liceat uel hominem tantum uel decem tantum intendere sibi dari oportere: qui uero sibi electionem non constituit, incertum stipulatur.
But at all events, he who has reserved the choice to himself by adding these words, "whichever I wish", can be deemed to have stipulated for what is certain, since he is allowed to claim that either only the slave or only the ten are ought to be given to him; but he who has not reserved the choice to himself stipulates for what is uncertain.
§45.1.75.9Qui sortem stipulatur et usuras quascumque, certum et incertum stipulatus uidetur et tot stipulationes sunt, quot res sunt.
He who stipulates for the principal and any interest whatsoever is deemed to have stipulated for what is certain and what is uncertain, and there are as many stipulations as there are things.
§45.1.75.10Haec stipulatio: 'fundum Tusculanum dari?' ostendit se certi esse, continetque, ut dominium omnimodo efficiatur stipulatoris quoquo modo.
This stipulation: "Do you promise that the Tusculan estate be given?" shows itself to be of what is certain, and contains that the ownership shall by all means be made the stipulator's in any way whatsoever.