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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §47.2.1.pr-47.2.1.3

Etymology, Definition, and Elements of Theft

Passage 7861 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Introduces various etymological explanations of the term for theft (*furtum*), and defines the legal boundaries of theft, stating that mere intent is insufficient, specifying when denial of a deposit constitutes theft, and providing its formal definition.

[PAULUS libro trigensimo nono ad edictum. ] §47.2.1.prFurtum a furuo, id est nigro dictum Labeo ait, quod clam et obscuro fiat et plerumque nocte: uel a fraude, ut Sabinus ait: uel a ferendo et auferendo: uel a Graeco sermone, qui φῶρας appellant fures: immo et Graeci ἀπὸ τοῦ φέρειν φῶρας dixerunt.
[PAULUS libro trigensimo nono ad edictum.] Labeo says that theft (*furtum*) is derived from *furuus*, that is, black, because it is committed secretly and in the dark, and mostly by night; or from fraud, as Sabinus says; or from carrying and carrying away; or from the Greek language, in which they call thieves *phoras*; indeed, the Greeks themselves derived *phoras* from carrying.
§47.2.1.1Inde sola cogitatio furti faciendi non facit furem.
Hence, the mere thought of committing a theft does not make a thief.
§47.2.1.2Sic is, qui depositum abnegat, non statim etiam furti tenetur, sed ita, si id intercipiendi causa occultauerit.
Thus, a person who denies having received a deposit is not immediately liable for theft, but only if he has concealed it for the purpose of appropriating it.
§47.2.1.3Furtum est contrectatio rei fraudulosa lucri faciendi gratia uel ipsius rei uel etiam usus eius possessionisue.
Theft is the fraudulent handling of property for the sake of making a gain, whether of the property itself, or also of its use or possession.
quod lege naturali prohibitum est admittere.
Committing this is prohibited by natural law.

Notes

  1. §47.2.1.prFurtum a furuo, id est nigro dictum Labeo ait — `dictum` is the infinitive `dictum esse` with the auxiliary `esse` omitted, forming an accusative and infinitive (A.C.I.) construction introduced by `Labeo ait` ("Labeo says"). The noun `Furtum` acts as the subject accusative of this construction.
  2. §47.2.1.2furti tenetur — `tenetur` means "is held liable" or "is prosecuted," and the genitive `furti` ("of theft") is used to express the charge or crime (genitive of charge).
  3. §47.2.1.3quod lege naturali prohibitum est admittere — The relative pronoun `quod` refers back to the neuter singular antecedent `furtum` and functions as the direct object of the infinitive `admittere` ("to commit"). The clause reads literally "which to commit is prohibited by natural law."

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §47.2.1.pr-47.2.1.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:47.2.1.pr-47.2.1.3

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