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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §47.10.13.pr-47.10.13.7

Inheritability of Iniuria and the Exercise of Rights

Passage 8012 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian discusses the inheritability of the action for injuries, the non-injurious nature of exercising rights or public offices, and the applicability of the action for injuries to the obstruction of fishing in common places such as the sea or shores.

[ULPIANUS libro quinquagensimo septimo ad edictum. ] §47.10.13.prIniuriarum actio neque heredi neque in heredem datur.
[ULPIAN, On the Edict, book fifty-seven.] The action for injuries is given neither to an heir nor against an heir.
idem est et si in seruum meum iniuria facta sit: nam nec hic heredi meo iniuriarum actio datur.
The same is true even if an injury has been done to my slave; for here too the action for injuries is not given to my heir.
semel autem lite contestata hanc actionem etiam ad successores pertinere.
However, once joinder of issue has taken place, this action also belongs to the successors.
§47.10.13.1Is, qui iure publico utitur, non uidetur iniuriae faciendae causa hoc facere: iuris enim executio non habet iniuriam.
He who exercises a public right is not deemed to do this for the purpose of committing an injury; for the execution of a right does not constitute an injury.
§47.10.13.2Si quis, quod decreto praetoris non obtemperauit, ductus sit, non est in ea causa, ut agat iniuriarum, propter praetoris praeceptum.
If anyone has been led away because he did not obey a decree of the praetor, he is not in a position to bring an action for injuries, on account of the praetor’s command.
§47.10.13.3Si quis per iniuriam ad tribunal alicuius me interpellauerit uexandi mei causa, potero iniuriarum experiri.
If anyone, through injury, summons me to someone's tribunal for the purpose of annoying me, I will be able to sue for injuries.
§47.10.13.4Si quis de honoribus decernendis alicuius passus non sit decerni ut puta imaginem alicui uel quid aliud tale: an iniuriarum teneatur? et ait Labeo non teneri, quamuis hoc contumeliae causa faciet: etenim multum interest, inquit, contumeliae causa quid fiat an uero fieri quid in honorem alicuius quis non patiatur. §47.10.13.5Idem Labeo scribit, si, cum alium contingeret legatio, alii hoc onus duumuir indixerit, non posse agi iniuriarum ob laborem iniunctum: aliud enim esse laborem iniungere, aliud iniuriam facere.
If anyone has not permitted a decree to be made concerning the awarding of honors to someone, such as, for instance, a statue for someone or some other such thing, is he held liable for injuries? And Labeo says that he is not held liable, although he did this for the purpose of insult; "for there is a great difference," he says, "between something being done for the purpose of insult, and someone not permitting something to be done in honor of someone." The same Labeo writes that if, when an embassy fell to another person, the duumvir imposed this burden on someone else, an action for injuries cannot be brought on account of the labor imposed; for it is one thing to impose labor, and another to commit an injury.
idem ergo erit probandum et in ceteris muneribus atque honoribus, quae per iniuriam iniunguntur.
Therefore, the same must be approved in the case of other offices and honors which are imposed through injury.
ergo si quis per iniuriam sententiam dixerit, idem erit probandum.
Therefore, if anyone has delivered an opinion through injury, the same must be approved.
§47.10.13.6Quae iure potestatis a magistratu fiunt, ad iniuriarum actionem non pertinent.
What is done by a magistrate by right of his power does not concern the action for injuries.
§47.10.13.7Si quis me prohibeat in mari piscari uel euerriculum (quod Graece σαγήνη dicitur) ducere, an iniuriarum iudicio possim eum conuenire? sunt qui putent iniuriarum me posse agere: et ita Pomponius.
If anyone should prevent me from fishing in the sea or drawing a dragnet (which is called σαγήνη in Greek), can I sue him in an action for injuries? There are those who think that I can bring an action for injuries; and Pomponius is of this opinion.
et plerique esse huic similem eum, qui in publicum lauare uel in cauea publica sedere uel in quo alio loco agere sedere conuersari non patiatur, aut si quis re mea uti me non permittat: nam et hic iniuriarum conueniri potest.
And most people think that he is similar to this who does not permit one to bathe in public, or to sit in a public theater, or to act, sit, or converse in any other place, or if anyone does not allow me to use my own property; for here too one can be sued for injuries.
conductori autem ueteres interdictum dederunt, si forte publice hoc conduxit: nam uis ei prohibenda est, quo minus conductione sua fruatur.
Moreover, the ancients gave an interdict to a lessee, if by chance he leased this publicly; for violence must be prohibited to prevent him from enjoying his lease.
si quem tamen ante aedes meas uel ante praetorium meum piscari prohibeam, quid dicendum est? me iniuriarum iudicio teneri an non? et quidem mare commune omnium est et litora, sicuti aer, et est saepissime rescriptum non posse quem piscari prohiberi: sed nec aucupari, nisi quod ingredi quis agrum alienum prohiberi potest.
However, if I should prevent someone from fishing in front of my house or in front of my villa, what is to be said? Am I held liable in an action for injuries or not? And indeed, the sea and the shores are common to all, just like the air, and it has very often been stated in rescripts that no one can be prevented from fishing; nor indeed from fowling, except that one can be prevented from entering another’s land.
usurpatum tamen et hoc est, tametsi nullo iure, ut quis prohiberi possit ante aedes meas uel praetorium meum piscari: quare si quis prohibeatur, adhuc iniuriarum agi potest.
Nevertheless, this also has been practiced, although by no right, that someone can be prevented from fishing in front of my house or my villa; therefore, if anyone is prevented, an action for injuries can still be brought.
in lacu tamen, qui mei dominii est, utique piscari aliquem prohibere possum.
In a lake, however, which is of my ownership, I can certainly prevent someone from fishing.

Notes

  1. §47.10.13.prsemel autem lite contestata hanc actionem etiam ad successores pertinere — This is an accusative with infinitive construction, where the governing main verb (such as an expression meaning "it is held that") is omitted. Substantively, it explains the exception that while the action for injuries is personal and generally non-transmissible, once joinder of issue (litis contestatio) has occurred, it becomes transmissible to the successors, like ordinary patrimonial actions.
  2. §47.10.13.4contumeliae causa quid fiat an uero fieri quid in honorem alicuius quis non patiatur — Using `an` to introduce indirect alternative questions, this clause presents two contrasting situations that act as the subject of `multum interest` ("there is a great difference"). The first clause is `contumeliae causa quid fiat` ("something being done for the purpose of insult"), and the second is `an uero fieri quid in honorem alicuius quis non patiatur` ("or someone not permitting something to be done in honor of someone"), syntactically distinguishing between actively insulting someone with malicious intent and merely withholding an honor.
  3. §47.10.13.7et plerique esse huic similem eum — After `plerique` ("most people / jurists"), a verb of thinking (such as `putant` or `existimant`) is omitted, which governs the accusative with infinitive construction starting with `esse`. This is an elliptical expression that continues the structure of the preceding sentence `sunt qui putent...` ("there are those who think...") to concisely present the majority opinion.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §47.10.13.pr-47.10.13.7. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:47.10.13.pr-47.10.13.7

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