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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §50.16.63.pr

Distinction Between Penes Te and Apud Te

Passage 8877 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian explains the legal distinction between the expressions 'penes te' and 'apud te' through the contrast between mere holding (tenere) and possessing (possidere).

[ULPIANUS libro septuagensimo primo ad edictum. ] §50.16.63.pr'Penes te' amplius est quam 'apud te': nam apud te est, quod qualiterqualiter a te teneatur, penes te est, quod quodam modo possidetur.
[ULPIANUS on the Edict, book 71.] 'Penes te' has a wider meaning than 'apud te': for that is 'apud te' which is held by you in whatever manner, while that is 'penes te' which is possessed in some manner.

Notes

  1. §50.16.63.prnam apud te est, quod qualiterqualiter a te teneatur — The relative pronoun `quod` implies its antecedent (`id quod`, "that which") and introduces a noun clause functioning as the subject of `est`. The subjunctive `teneatur` is used because the clause is introduced by the concessive adverb `qualiterqualiter` ("in whatever manner"), highlighting a general possibility or assumption rather than a factual event.
  2. §50.16.63.prpenes te / apud te — In Roman jurisprudence, `apud` ("with/at") denotes mere physical custody or holding (`tenere`), whereas `penes` ("in the control/power of") implies legal possession (`possidere`) or a higher degree of control, which is why the latter expression is broader and legally more potent.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §50.16.63.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:50.16.63.pr

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