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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §48.18.7.pr

Judicial Limits on Torture and Preserving the Slave

Passage 8366 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

The author states that the limit of torture should be determined by judges, and that torture must be conducted in a manner that leaves the slave unharmed for either potential acquittal or punishment.

[ULPIANUS libro tertio de adulteriis. ] §48.18.7.prQuaestionis modum magis est iudices arbitrari oportere: itaque quaestionem habere oportet, ut seruus saluus sit uel innocentiae uel supplicio.
[ULPIANUS, in the third book on Adulteries.] It is more fitting that the judges should determine the limit of the torture; therefore, the torture ought to be conducted in such a way that the slave remains unharmed, either for the sake of his innocence or for his punishment.

Notes

  1. §48.18.7.prmagis est iudices arbitrari oportere — The impersonal expression magis est (it is more appropriate) is followed by an infinitive clause with the impersonal verb oportere (it is necessary). Within this clause, iudices (judges) functions as the subject accusative of the infinitive arbitrari (to determine), and quaestionis modum (the limit of torture) is its object.
  2. §48.18.7.prinnocentiae uel supplicio — Both are datives of purpose or end (dativus finis); innocentiae is the dative singular of the first-declension noun innocentia (innocence), and supplicio is the dative singular of the second-declension noun supplicium (punishment). They modify ut seruus saluus sit (so that the slave remains unharmed), indicating that whether the slave is found innocent (and thus returned) or sentenced to punishment, they must remain intact for either outcome.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §48.18.7.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:48.18.7.pr

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