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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §5.3.39.pr-5.3.39.1

Examples of Expenses and Right of Removal for Luxuries

Passage 1037 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Gaius provides concrete examples of necessary and useful expenses and discusses whether a bona fide possessor can recover luxury expenses, as well as the limits on a robber's superfluous expenditures and their right of removal.

[GAIUS libro sexto ad edictum prouinciale. ] §5.3.39.prUtiles autem necessariaeque sunt ueluti quae fiunt reficiendorum aedificiorum gratia: aut in nouelleta: aut cum seruorum gratia litis aestimatio soluitur, cum id utilius sit quam ipsos dedi: denique alias complures eiusdem generis esse impensas manifestum est.
[GAIUS in his sixth book on the Provincial Edict.] Now, useful and necessary expenses are, for example, those which are incurred for the sake of repairing buildings, or on a young vineyard, or when, for the sake of slaves, the value of the litigation is paid, since this is more useful than surrendering the slaves themselves; finally, it is clear that there are many other expenses of the same kind.
§5.3.39.1Uideamus tamen, ne et ad picturarum quoque et marmorum et ceterarum uoluptariarum rerum impensas aeque proficiat nobis doli exceptio, si modo bonae fidei possessores simus: nam praedoni probe dicetur non debuisse in alienam rem superuacuas impensas facere: ut tamen potestas ei fieret tollendorum eorum, quae sine detrimento ipsius rei tolli possint.
Let us see, however, whether the plea of fraud may not equally benefit us also with respect to the expenses of paintings, marbles, and other luxurious things, provided only we are bona fide possessors; for it will be rightly said to a robber that he ought not to have made superfluous expenses on another's property, provided, however, that the power of removing those things which can be removed without detriment to the thing itself should be granted to him.

Notes

  1. 5.3.39.prnouelleta — The word refers to a newly planted vineyard or plantation, here used in the ablative singular feminine following the preposition 'in'.
  2. 5.3.39.prdedi — Present passive infinitive of the verb 'dedo' (to surrender). It refers to the 'noxal surrender' (noxae deditio), where a master surrenders the wrongdoing slave to escape liability.
  3. 5.3.39.1uideamus... ne — An expression introducing an indirect question, meaning 'let us see whether... not.' 'Uideamus' is the first-person plural present subjunctive of exhortation, while 'ne' introduces a question with the expectation that something might be the case.
  4. 5.3.39.1ut tamen potestas ei fieret — The 'ut' clause with the imperfect subjunctive 'fieret' expresses a proviso or restrictive result. It grants a robber (praedo) the 'right of removal' (ius tollendi) as a concession, provided the property itself is not damaged.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §5.3.39.pr-5.3.39.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:5.3.39.pr-5.3.39.1

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