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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §47.15.1.pr-47.15.1.1

Definition of Prevarication and Penalty for Betrayal

Passage 8075 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian explains the definition and etymology of "prevaricator," noting that while the term strictly refers to a collusive prosecutor in a public trial, an advocate who betrays his case is also subject to extraordinary punishment.

[ULPIANUS libro sexto ad edictum praetoris. ] §47.15.1.prPraeuaricator est quasi uaricator, qui diuersam partem adiuuat prodita causa sua.
[ULPIAN, in the sixth book on the edict of the praetor.] A prevaricator is, as it were, a straddler, who, having betrayed his own case, helps the opposing party.
quod nomen Labeo a uaria certatione tractum ait: nam qui praeuaricatur, ex utraque parte constitit, quin immo ex altera.
Labeo says that this name is derived from "varied contest"; for he who prevaricates stands on both sides, or rather on the other side.
§47.15.1.1Is autem praeuaricator proprie dicitur, qui publico iudicio accusauerit: ceterum aduocatus non proprie praeuaricator dicitur.
But he is properly called a prevaricator who has prosecuted in a public trial; on the other hand, an advocate is not properly called a prevaricator.
quid ergo de eo fiet? siue priuato iudicio siue publico praeuaricatus sit, hoc est prodiderit causam, hic extra ordinem solet puniri.
What, then, will become of him? If, whether in a private or a public trial, he has prevaricated, that is, has betrayed the case, he is usually punished extraordinarily.

Notes

  1. 47.15.1.prprodita causa sua — An ablative absolute construction consisting of the noun "causa" and the perfect passive participle "prodita," literally "his own case having been betrayed," functioning here to express the circumstance or means: "by betraying his own case."
  2. 47.15.1.prquod nomen — An instance of the relative connection (coniunctio relativa), where the relative pronoun "quod" adjectively modifies "nomen" at the start of the sentence to show a strong connection to the preceding statement, meaning "this name."
  3. 47.15.1.1de eo fiet — An idiomatic expression consisting of the preposition "de" with the ablative ("eo") and the future tense of "fieri" (passive of "facere"), meaning "what will become of him" or "how he will be dealt with."

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §47.15.1.pr-47.15.1.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:47.15.1.pr-47.15.1.1

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