[ULPIANUS libro secundo de adulteriis. ] §48.5.16.prSi maritus sit in magistratu, potest praeueniri a patre: atquin non oportet.
[ULPIANUS, in the second book on Adultery.] If a husband is in office, he can be anticipated by the father; yet it is not proper.
et putat Pomponius debere dici, quoad maritus magistratum gerit, patris quoque accusationem impediendam, ne praeripiatur marito ius, quod cum eo aequale habet: igitur non cedent sexaginta dies patri, cum accusare non potest.
And Pomponius thinks it should be said that, as long as the husband holds office, the father’s accusation must also be barred, lest the husband be deprived of the right which he has equally with him; therefore, the sixty days will not run against the father when he cannot accuse.
§48.5.16.1Legis Iuliae de adulteriis capite septimo ita cauetur: 'ne quis inter reos referat eum, qui tum sine detrectatione rei publicae causa aberit': neque enim aequum uisum est absentem rei publicae causa inter reos referri, dum rei publicae operatur.
In the seventh chapter of the Lex Julia on Adultery, it is provided as follows: "No one shall register among the accused a person who is then absent on account of public business without evasion"; for it did not seem just that one who is absent on account of public business should be registered among the accused while he is working for the state.
§48.5.16.2Necessario adicitur 'sine detrectatione': ceterum si quis euitandi criminis id egit, ut rei publicae causa abesset, nihil illi commentum hoc proficiat.
"Without evasion" is added of necessity; otherwise, if anyone has managed to be absent on account of public business for the sake of avoiding a charge, this device should profit him nothing.
§48.5.16.3Quod si quis praesens sit, uice tamen absentis habetur (ut puta qui in uigilibus uel urbanis castris militat), dicendum est deferri hunc posse: neque enim laborare habet, ut se repraesentet.
But if anyone is present, yet is regarded in the place of an absentee (as, for example, one who serves in the night-watch or the urban cohorts), it must be said that he can be prosecuted; for he has no trouble in presenting himself.
§48.5.16.4Et generaliter dicendum est eorum demum absentiam excusatam esse, qui in alia prouincia rei publicae causa absunt, quam in ea in qua deferuntur.
And generally, it must be said that the absence of only those is excused who are absent on account of public business in a province other than that in which they are prosecuted.
proinde si quis in prouincia, in qua agit, adulterium commiserit, accusari poterit, nisi sit ea persona, quae ad praesidis cognitionem non pertinet.
Accordingly, if anyone has committed adultery in the province in which he is active, he can be accused, unless he is a person who does not fall under the jurisdiction of the governor.
§48.5.16.5Si negauerint se pater et maritus accusaturos intra diem sexagensimum, an statim incipiant tempora extraneo cedere? et primus Pomponius putat admitti ad accusationem extraneum posse statim atque isti negauerint.
If the father and the husband deny that they will accuse within the sixtieth day, does the time immediately begin to run against an outsider? And Pomponius is the first to think that an outsider can be admitted to the accusation as soon as they have denied it.
cui adsentiendum puto: fortius enim dicitur eum, qui se negauerit acturum, postea non audiendum.
I think this should be agreed to; for it is said with greater force that he who has denied that he will bring an action should not be heard afterwards.
§48.5.16.6Lex Iulia de adulteriis specialiter quosdam adulterii accusare prohibet, ut minorem annis uiginti quinque: nec enim uisus est idoneus accusator, qui nondum robustae aetatis est.
The Lex Julia on Adultery specifically forbids certain persons to accuse of adultery, such as a person under twenty-five years of age; for one who is not yet of robust age did not seem to be a suitable accuser.
quod ita uerum est, si non matrimonii sui iniuriam exequatur: ceterum si suum matrimonium uindicare uelit, quamuis iure extranei ad accusationem ueniat, tamen audietur: nec enim ulla praescriptio obicitur suam iniuriam uindicanti.
This is true only if he is not prosecuting an injury to his own marriage; but if he wishes to vindicate his own marriage, although he comes to the accusation by the right of an outsider, he will nevertheless be heard; for no prescription is barred against one who vindicates his own injury.
sane si iuuenali facilitate ductus uel etiam feruore aetatis accensus ad accusationem prosilit, accusanti ei non facile calumniae poena irrogabitur.
Indeed, if, led by youthful haste or even inflamed by the heat of youth, he rushes into an accusation, the penalty for false accusation will not easily be imposed on him when he accuses.
minorem uiginti quinque annis etiam eum accipimus, qui uicensimum quintum annum aetatis agit.
We also accept as under twenty-five years of age one who is spending the twenty-fifth year of his age.
§48.5.16.7Praescriptiones, quae obici solent accusantibus adulterii, ante solent tractari, quam quis inter reos recipiatur: ceterum posteaquam semel receptus est, non potest praescriptionem obicere.
The prescriptions which are customarily objected to those accusing of adultery are customarily treated before anyone is received among the accused; but after he has once been received, he cannot object a prescription.
§48.5.16.8Si in uiduitate mulier perseuerat, in accusatoris est arbitrio, a quo uelit incipere, utrum ab adultero an ab adultera.
If the woman remains in widowhood, it is in the choice of the accuser with whom he wishes to begin, whether with the adulterer or with the adulteress.
§48.5.16.9Si quis et adulterum et adulteram simul detulit, nihil agit poteritque, quasi neutrum detulerit, rursus a quo uelit initium facere, quia nihil agit prima delatione.
If anyone has denounced both the adulterer and the adulteress at the same time, his act is void, and he can, just as if he had denounced neither, start again with whichever he wishes to begin, because nothing is accomplished by the first denunciation.