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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §48.5.11.pr-48.5.11.2

Scope of Matrons and Adultery Liability Evaded by Disgrace

Passage 8185 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This section clarifies that "mother of a family" includes widows as well as married women, and establishes that women who provide houses for illicit sex or attempt to evade the penalties of adultery by entering infamous professions remain liable under the senatusconsultum.

[PAPINIANUS libro secundo de adulteriis. ] §48.5.11.prMater autem familias significatur non tantum nupta, sed etiam uidua.
[PAPINIAN, in the second book On Adultery.] Now, by "mother of a family" is meant not only a married woman, but also a widow.
§48.5.11.1Mulieres quoque hoc capite legis, quod domum praebuerunt uel pro comperto stupro aliquid acceperunt, tenentur.
Women also are held liable under this chapter of the law for having provided a house or having received something for a detected illicit intercourse.
§48.5.11.2Mulier, quae euitandae poenae adulterii gratia lenocinium fecerit aut operas suas in scaenam locauit, adulterii accusari damnarique ex senatus consulto potest.
A woman who, for the sake of avoiding the penalty for adultery, has practiced procuring or has hired out her services to the stage, can be accused and condemned of adultery under the senatusconsultum.

Notes

  1. §48.5.11.1quod — This 'quod' is not a relative pronoun but a conjunction introducing a causal clause ('because they...', 'for having...'), explaining the ground on which they are held liable (tenentur).
  2. §48.5.11.2euitandae poenae adulterii gratia — A gerundive construction. The gerundive 'euitandae' agrees with the noun 'poenae' in the genitive, which is governed by the postpositioned ablative 'gratia' ('for the sake of avoiding'). 'adulterii' is a genitive modifying 'poenae'.
  3. §48.5.11.2adulterii — The genitive of charge ('adulterii'), used with the passive infinitives 'accusari' (to be accused) and 'damnari' (to be condemned).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §48.5.11.pr-48.5.11.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:48.5.11.pr-48.5.11.2

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