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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §47.3.1.pr-47.3.1.1

Prohibition of Detaching Stolen Materials and Double Value Action

Passage 7956 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

It discusses the prohibition of detaching or vindicating stolen building materials incorporated into buildings or vineyards under the Twelve Tables, the alternative action for double value, the definition of "timber," and the action for production against malicious builders.

[ULPIANUS libro trigensimo septimo ad edictum. ] §47.3.1.prLex duodecim tabularum neque soluere permittit tignum furtiuum aedibus uel uineis iunctum neque uindicare (quod prouidenter lex effecit, ne uel aedificia sub hoc praetextu diruantur uel uinearum cultura turbetur): sed in eum, qui conuictus est iunxisse, in duplum dat actionem.
[ULPIANUS, in his thirty-seventh book on the Edict.] The Law of the Twelve Tables neither permits a stolen timber incorporated into buildings or vineyards to be detached, nor to be vindicated (which the law wisely brought about, lest either buildings should be demolished under this pretext or the cultivation of vineyards be disrupted); but it grants an action for double the value against him who has been convicted of having incorporated it.
§47.3.1.1Tigni autem appellatione continetur omnis materia, ex qua aedificium constet, uineaeque necessaria.
Moreover, under the term "timber" is included all material of which a building consists, and what is necessary for a vineyard.
unde quidam aiunt tegulam quoque et lapidem et testam ceteraque, si qua aedificiis sunt utilia (tigna enim a tegendo dicta sunt), hoc amplius et calcem et harenam tignorum appellatione contineri.
Hence some say that tiles also, and stones, bricks, and other things, if any are useful for buildings (for timbers ["tigna"] are so called from covering ["tegere"]), and furthermore even lime and sand, are included under the term "timbers".
sed et in uineis tigni appellatione omnia uineis necessaria continentur, ut puta perticae pedamenta.
But also in the case of vineyards, all things necessary for vineyards are included under the term "timber", such as poles and props.
Sed et ad exhibendum danda est actio: nec enim parci oportet ei, qui sciens alienam rem aedificio inclusit uinxitue: non enim sic eum conuenimus quasi possidentem, sed ita, quasi dolo malo fecerit, quo minus possideat.
Furthermore, an action for production must also be granted; for no mercy should be shown to him who knowingly enclosed or joined another's property to a building. For we do not sue him in this way as if he were the possessor, but in such a way as if he had by fraud brought it about that he ceased to possess it.

Notes

  1. §47.3.1.prtignum furtiuum — Tignum originally means "timber" or "beam," but here, in the legal context originating from the Twelve Tables, it is used in a broader sense to refer to all kinds of building materials (including bricks, tiles, stones, etc.) incorporated or used in the construction of buildings or vineyards. Furtiuum indicates that the object is stolen property belonging to another.
  2. §47.3.1.prquod prouidenter lex effecit — Quod is a relative pronoun in the neuter accusative singular referring back to the entire preceding clause (the rule of the Twelve Tables prohibiting both the detaching and vindicating of incorporated stolen timber), serving as the direct object of effecit.
  3. §47.3.1.1unde quidam aiunt — This introduces an accusative and infinitive construction (AcI) governed by aiunt ("they say"). The infinitive is contineri (present passive infinitive) at the end of the sentence, and its subjects (in the accusative) are tegulam... lapidem... testam ceteraque, parallel with calcem et harenam following hoc amplius ("furthermore").
  4. §47.3.1.1quasi dolo malo fecerit, quo minus possideat — Quasi expresses a hypothetical assumption with the subjunctive fecerit. The phrase fecerit quo minus possideat is a construction meaning "brought it about that he does not possess" or "avoided possession with malicious intent (dolo malo)". Quo minus (or quominus) introduces a subjunctive clause denoting prevention or hindrance.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §47.3.1.pr-47.3.1.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:47.3.1.pr-47.3.1.1

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