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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §50.16.128.pr

Scope of the Term Spadones as Including All Impotent Persons

Passage 8942 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian explains that the term 'impotent persons' (spadones) is a general designation, which encompasses those who are impotent by nature, those who are thlibiae or thlasiae, and any other class of such persons.

[ULPIANUS libro primo ad legem Iuliam et Papiam. ] §50.16.128.prSpadonum generalis appellatio est: quo nomine tam hi, qui natura spadones sunt, item thlibiae thlasiae, sed et si quod aliud genus spadonum est, continentur.
[ULPIANUS, from the first book on the Lex Iulia et Papia.] 'Impotent persons' is a general designation: under this name are included both those who are impotent by nature, and likewise those who are thlibiae or thlasiae, and also if there is any other kind of impotent persons.

Notes

  1. §50.16.128.prSpadonum — The Latin term spado (genitive plural spadonum) broadly refers to those lacking reproductive capacity. As stated here as a "general designation" (generalis appellatio), it encompasses both those who are impotent by nature and those who underwent various forms of castration.
  2. §50.16.128.prquo nomine — The relative adjective quo modifies the noun nomine, referring back to the name of "impotent persons" (spadones), and functions as an ablative of means or domain for the passive verb continentur (are included).
  3. §50.16.128.prthlibiae thlasiae — Both are technical medical and legal terms of Greek origin (θλιβίαι, θλασίαι). Thlibiae refers to those whose testicles have been compressed or bruised, while thlasiae refers to those whose testicles have been crushed, representing forms of castration distinct from surgical excision (castrati).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §50.16.128.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:50.16.128.pr

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