Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §50.12.10.pr

Validity of Reserved Conditions and Presiding Rights in Contests

Passage 8792 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Septicia promised a contest to her native city on condition that she retain the capital, pay prizes from the interest, and have her husband and children preside. Modestinus replies that if the exhibition of the contest is lawful, the terms of the promise must be observed.

[IDEM libro primo responsorum. ] §50.12.10.prSepticia certamen patriae suae pollicendo sub hac condicione pollicita est, uti sors apud eam remaneat et ipsa usuras semissales ad praemia certantium resoluat, in haec uerba: 'Φιλοτιμοῦμαι καὶ καθιερῶ ἀγῶνα τετραετηρικὸν ἀπὸ μυριάδων τριῶν, τὸ τοῦ κεφαλαίου αὐτὴ κατέχουσα ἀργύριον καὶ ἀσφαλιζομένη παρὰ τοῖς δεκαπρώτοις ἀξιοχρέως ἐπὶ τῷ τελεῖν με τὸν ἐξ ἔθους τριῶν μυριάδων τόκον, ἀγωνοθετοῦντος καὶ προκαθεζομένου τοῦ ἀνδρός μου, ἐπ' αὖθις δὲ τῶν ἐξ ἐμοῦ γεννηθησομένων τέκνων χωρήσει δὲ ὁ τόκος εἰς τὰ ἆθλα τῶν θυμελικῶν, καθὼς ἂν ἐφ' ἑκάστου ἀθλήματος ἡ βουλὴ ὁρίσῃ'. quaero, an possunt iniuriam pati filii Septiciae, quo minus ipsi praesiderent certamini secundum uerba condicionemque pollicitationis.
[THE SAME, in the first book of Opinions.] Septicia, in promising a contest to her native city, promised it under this condition, that the capital should remain with her and she herself should pay interest at six percent per annum for the prizes of the contestants, in these words: "I benignantly promise and consecrate a quadrennial contest from an endowment of three myriads, myself retaining the money of the capital and providing sufficient security to the decemprimi, on condition that I pay the customary interest on the three myriads, my husband acting as president and presiding, and subsequently the children to be born of me; and the interest shall go toward the prizes of the scenic contestants, as the city council may determine for each event." I ask whether the children of Septicia can suffer an injustice so as to be prevented from presiding over the contest themselves in accordance with the words and condition of the promise.
Herennius Modestinus respondit, quo casu certaminis editio licita est, formam pollicitationi datam seruandam esse.
Herennius Modestinus replied that, in a case where the exhibition of the contest is lawful, the form given to the promise must be observed.

Notes

  1. 50.12.10.prpollicendo — Ablative of the gerund, expressing the circumstance or means accompanying the main verb `pollicita est` ("in promising").
  2. 50.12.10.prusuras semissales — "Semissal interest", referring to half an as (0.5%) per month, which equates to 6% per annum in the Roman system of interest calculation.
  3. 50.12.10.prἀγωνοθετοῦντος καὶ προκαθεζομένου τοῦ ἀνδρός μου — Genitive absolute construction in Greek. The noun `τοῦ ἀνδρός μου` ("my husband") is modified by the genitive present participles `ἀγωνοθετοῦντος` ("acting as president") and `προκαθεζομένου` ("presiding"), expressing a condition or attendant circumstance.
  4. 50.12.10.prquo minus — Subordinating conjunction introduced after expressions of hindrance or prevention (here, suffering an injustice `iniuriam pati`), indicating a negative purpose or result ("so as to prevent them from...").

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §50.12.10.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:50.12.10.pr

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.