Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §50.17.183.pr

Preserving Established Practice and Relief by Equity

Passage 9243 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

States the principle that while established legal practices should not be easily altered, relief must be granted when manifest equity demands it.

[MARCELLUS libro tertio digestorum. ] §50.17.183.prEtsi nihil facile mutandum est ex sollemnibus, tamen ubi aequitas euidens poscit, subueniendum est.
[MARCELLUS, in the third book of the Digests.] Although nothing should easily be changed from established solemnities, nevertheless, where manifest equity demands, relief must be given.

Notes

  1. §50.17.183.prsollemnibus — Ablative of the neuter plural substantive "sollemnia" (established rules, solemn forms, rituals). Here it refers to the formal and strict rules of law established by long-standing tradition.
  2. §50.17.183.prsubueniendum est — An impersonal passive periphrastic construction using the gerundive of the intransitive verb "subuenire" (to come to the aid of, relieve), which governs the dative. It expresses necessity or duty, meaning "relief or assistance must be granted" to mitigate the harshness of strict law.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §50.17.183.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:50.17.183.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.