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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §50.16.79.pr-50.16.79.2

Definitions and Threefold Division of Expenses

Passage 8893 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

It explains the threefold classification of expenses into necessary, useful, and voluptuary expenses, along with their respective definitions and concrete examples.

[IDEM libro sexto ad Plautium. ] §50.16.79.prImpensae necessariae' sunt, quae si factae non sint, res aut peritura aut deterior futura sit.
[THE SAME, on Plautius, book 6.] 'Necessary expenses' are those which, if they are not incurred, the property would either perish or deteriorate.
' §50.16.79.1Utiles impensas' esse Fulcinius ait, quae meliorem dotem faciant, non deteriorem esse non sinant, ex quibus reditus mulieri adquiratur: sicuti arbusti pastinationem ultra quam necesse fuerat, item doctrinam puerorum.
Fulcinius says that 'useful expenses' are those which make the dowry better, and do not merely prevent it from deteriorating, and from which income is acquired for the woman: such as the digging of an orchard beyond what was necessary, and likewise the instruction of slave children.
quorum nomine onerari mulierem ignorantem uel inuitam non oportet, ne cogatur fundo aut mancipiis carere.
On their account, a woman who is ignorant of them or unwilling ought not to be burdened, lest she be forced to go without her land or her slaves.
in his impensis et pistrinum et horreum insulae dotali adiectum plerumque dicemus. '
Among these expenses, we shall generally say that both a bakery and a storehouse added to a dotal apartment block are included.
§50.16.79.2Uoluptariae' sunt, quae speciem dumtaxat ornant, non etiam fructum augent: ut sunt uiridia et aquae salientes, incrustationes, loricationes, picturae.
'Voluptuary expenses' are those which merely ornament the appearance, but do not also increase the income: such as greenery, fountains, plastering, cladding, and paintings.

Notes

  1. 50.16.79.1non deteriorem esse non sinant — The initial negation 'non' modifies 'deteriorem esse non sinant' (where 'non sinant' means 'they do not allow', i.e., 'they prevent', and 'deteriorem esse' means 'to deteriorate'). Thus, the phrase means 'they do not merely prevent [it] from deteriorating,' distinguishing 'useful expenses' (which increase the value) from 'necessary expenses' (which merely prevent deterioration or loss).
  2. 50.16.79.1arbusti pastinationem — The accusative 'pastinationem' and the subsequent 'doctrinam' continue the indirect speech construction (Accusativus cum Infinitivo) from the preceding clause ('utiles impensas esse...'), serving as specific examples introduced by 'sicuti'.
  3. 50.16.79.1insulae dotali — Dative of the feminine noun 'insula' (here meaning a Roman apartment building for rent), serving as a dative complement to the participle 'adiectum' (added to). It refers to the apartment building given as a dowry.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §50.16.79.pr-50.16.79.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:50.16.79.pr-50.16.79.2

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