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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §45.3.21.pr

Invalidity of Stipulation for Whichever Co-Owner Survives

Passage 7529 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Presents Julian's opinion that a stipulation made by a common slave to perform for whichever of his two masters is alive at a future date is void, because the stipulation cannot remain in suspense with the acquirer unidentified.

[UENULEIUS libro primo stipulationum. ] §45.3.21.prSi seruus communis ita stipuletur: 'kalendis Ianuariis decem Titio aut Maeuio dominis, uter eorum tunc uiuet, dare spondes?', inutilem esse stipulationem Iulianus scribit, quia non possit in pendenti esse stipulatio nec apparere, utri eorum sit adquisitum.
[VENULEIUS, from the first book of Stipulations.] If a common slave should stipulate as follows: "Do you promise to give ten on the calends of January to Titius or Maevius, my masters, whichever of them shall be alive at that time?" Julian writes that the stipulation is void, because a stipulation cannot be in suspense, nor can it appear for which of them it has been acquired.

Notes

  1. 45.3.21.prin pendenti — An idiomatic prepositional phrase meaning "in suspense" or "undecided," using the neuter ablative substantival form of the present participle.
  2. 45.3.21.prutri eorum sit adquisitum — An indirect question clause, which explains the use of the subjunctive perfect passive `sit adquisitum`. `utri` is the dative of the dual interrogative pronoun `uter` ("which of the two"), meaning "for which of them it has been acquired."

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §45.3.21.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:45.3.21.pr

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