[PAULUS libro sexto decimo ad Sabinum. ] §49.15.19.prPostliminium est ius amissae rei recipiendae ab extraneo et in statum pristinum restituendae inter nos ac liberos populos regesque moribus legibus constitutum.
[PAULUS, Book 16 on Sabinus] Postliminium is the right of recovering a lost thing from a foreigner and restoring it to its former state, established by custom and laws between us and free peoples and kings.
nam quod bello amissimus aut etiam citra bellum, hoc si rursus recipiamus, dicimur postliminio recipere.
For what we have lost in war or even outside of war, if we recover this again, we are said to recover it by postliminium.
idque naturali aequitate introductum est, ut qui per iniuriam ab extraneis detinebatur, is, ubi in fines suos redisset, pristinum ius suum reciperet.
And this was introduced by natural equity, so that he who was unjustly detained by foreigners might, when he returned to his own territory, recover his former right.
§49.15.19.1Indutiae sunt, cum in breue et in praesens tempus conuenit, ne inuicem se lacessant: quo tempore non est postliminium.
A truce is when it is agreed for a short and temporary period that they shall not harass each other; during which time there is no postliminium.
§49.15.19.2A piratis aut latronibus capti liberi permanent.
Those captured by pirates or robbers remain free.
§49.15.19.3Postliminio redisse uidetur, cum in fines nostros intrauerit, sicuti amittitur, ubi fines nostros excessit.
A person is deemed to have returned by postliminium when he enters our territory, just as it is lost when he leaves our territory.
sed et si in ciuitatem sociam amicamue aut ad regem socium uel amicum uenerit, statim postliminio redisse uidetur, quia ibi primum nomine publico tutus esse incipiat.
But also, if he comes to an allied or friendly state, or to an allied or friendly king, he is immediately deemed to have returned by postliminium, because there first he begins to be safe in the public name.
§49.15.19.4Transfugae nullum postliminium est: nam qui malo consilio et proditoris animo patriam reliquit, hostium numero habendus est.
A deserter has no postliminium; for he who has left his country with bad intent and a traitorous mind must be considered in the number of the enemy.
sed hoc in libero transfuga iuris est, siue femina siue masculus sit.
But this is the rule in the case of a free deserter, whether female or male.
§49.15.19.5Si uero seruus transfugerit ad hostes, quoniam, et cum casu captus est, dominus in eo postliminium habet, rectissime dicitur etiam ei postliminium esse, scilicet ut dominus in eo pristinum ius recipiat, ne contrarium ius non tam ipsi iniuriosum sit, qui seruus semper permanet, quam domino damnosum constituatur.
But if a slave deserts to the enemy, since even when he is captured by chance, the master has postliminium over him, it is most correctly said that there is postliminium for him too, namely, so that the master may recover his former right in him, lest the contrary rule should be established as not so much unjust to himself, who always remains a slave, as damaging to the master.
§49.15.19.6Si statuliber transfuga reuersus sit, existente condicione postquam redit, liber efficitur.
If a statuliber who is a deserter returns, and the condition is fulfilled after he returns, he becomes free.
diuersum est, si condicio extitisset, dum apud hostes est: in eo enim casu neque sibi reuerti potest, ut liber sit, neque heredi in eo ius postliminii est, quia non potest queri, cum nullum damnum patiatur, libertate iam optingente, si non impediret, quod transfuga factus est.
It is different if the condition had been fulfilled while he was with the enemy; for in that case, he cannot return for his own benefit to be free, nor does the heir have the right of postliminium in him, because the heir cannot complain since he suffers no damage, liberty already falling to the slave if his having become a deserter did not prevent it.
§49.15.19.7Filius quoque familias transfuga non potest postliminio reuerti neque uiuo patre, quia pater sic illum amisit, quemadmodum patria, et quia disciplina castrorum antiquior fuit parentibus Romanis quam caritas liberorum.
A son of a family who is a deserter also cannot return by postliminium, not even during his father's lifetime, because the father lost him in the same way as the country did, and because military discipline was more sacred to Roman parents than affection for their children.
§49.15.19.8Transfuga autem non is solus accipiendus est, qui aut ad hostes aut in bello transfugit, sed et qui per indutiarum tempus aut ad eos, cum quibus nulla amicitia est, fide suscepta transfugit.
A deserter, however, is to be understood not only as one who deserts to the enemy or during war, but also one who deserts during a truce, or to those with whom there is no friendship, having received a pledge of protection.
§49.15.19.9Si is, qui emat ab hostibus, pluris alii ius pignoris quod in redempto habet cesserit, non eam quantitatem, sed priorem redemptus reddere debet, et emptor habet actionem aduersus eum qui uendidit ex empto.
If he who buys someone from the enemy transfers to another for a higher price the right of pledge which he has in the redeemed person, the redeemed person is bound to pay not that amount, but the former one, and the buyer has an action on the purchase against the seller.
§49.15.19.10Postliminium hominibus est, cuiuscumque sexus condicionisue sint: nec interest, liberi an serui sint.
Postliminium is for human beings, of whatever sex or condition they may be; nor does it matter whether they are free or slaves.
nec enim soli postliminio recipiuntur, qui pugnare possunt, sed omnes homines, quia eius naturae sunt, ut usui esse uel consilio uel aliis modis possint.
For it is not only those who can fight who are recovered by postliminium, but all human beings, because they are of such a nature that they can be of use either by advice or in other ways.