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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §45.2.6.pr-45.2.6.3

Single Responses and the Formation of Joint Obligations

Passage 7495 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Julianus discusses the liability when only one of two intended joint debtors answers, the freedom of the stipulator to accept a surety, a promise made to only one of two joint creditors, and the effect of brief intervals or actions on the formation of joint obligations.

[IDEM libro quinquagensimo secundo digestorum. ] §45.2.6.prDuos reos promittendi facturus si utrumque interrogauero, sed alter dumtaxat responderit, uerius puto eum qui responderit obligari: neque enim sub condicione interrogatio in utriusque persona fit, ut ita demum obligetur, si alter quoque responderit.
[THE SAME in the fifty-second book of the Digests.] If, intending to make two joint debtors of promising, I interrogate both, but only one of them answers, I think it more correct that he who answered is bound; for the interrogation is not made under a condition in the person of each, so that he should be bound only if the other also answers.
§45.2.6.1Duobus autem reis constitutis quin liberum sit stipulatori uel ab utroque uel ab altero dumtaxat fideiussorem accipere, non dubito.
Furthermore, when two joint debtors have been established, I do not doubt that it is free for the stipulator to accept a surety either from both or from only one of them.
§45.2.6.2Sed si a duobus reis stipulandi interrogatus respondisset uni se spondere, ei soli tenetur.
But if, interrogated by two joint creditors of stipulating, he answers that he promises to only one of them, he is liable to him alone.
§45.2.6.3Duo rei sine dubio ita constitui possunt, ut et temporis ratio habeatur, intra quod uterque respondeat: modicum tamen interuallum temporis, item modicus actus, qui modo contrarius obligationi non sit, nihil impedit, quo minus duo rei sunt.
Two joint parties can doubtless be established in such a way that account is also taken of the time within which each must answer; nevertheless, a moderate interval of time, likewise a moderate act, provided that it is not contrary to the obligation, does not prevent them from being two joint parties.
fideiussor quoque interrogatus inter duorum reorum responsa si responderit, potest uideri non impedire obligationem reorum, quia nec longum spatium interponitur nec is actus, qui contrarius sit obligationi.
If a surety also, having been interrogated, answers between the answers of the two joint debtors, it can be seen not to prevent the obligation of the joint debtors, because neither a long space of time nor such an act as is contrary to the obligation is interposed.

Notes

  1. §45.2.6.prDuos reos promittendi facturus — facturus is a future active participle agreeing in gender, number, and case with the subject of the conditional verb interrogauero (first person singular), expressing intention or purpose ("intending to make").
  2. §45.2.6.prut ita demum obligetur, si — The ut clause explains the content of the preceding sub condicione or functions as a consecutive clause. ita demum..., si... expresses a restrictive condition: "so that he should be bound only if the other also answers."
  3. §45.2.6.1quin liberum sit... non dubito — A quin clause with the subjunctive (sit), dependent on the negative expression of doubt non dubito ("I do not doubt that...").
  4. §45.2.6.3quo minus duo rei sunt — A quo minus clause dependent on the negated verb of hindering nihil impedit, meaning "does not prevent them from being...". Although the verb in the text is in the indicative present (sunt), it functions equivalently to the subjunctive (sint).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §45.2.6.pr-45.2.6.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:45.2.6.pr-45.2.6.3

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