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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §50.17.192.pr-50.17.192.1

Indivisible Obligations of Heirs and Benign Interpretation

Passage 9252 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This fragment states that indivisible obligations must be performed in full by each heir, and that in doubtful cases, following a more liberal interpretation is both just and safe.

[MARCELLUS libro uicensimo nono digestorum. ] §50.17.192.prEa, quae in partes diuidi non possunt, solida a singulis heredibus debentur.
[MARCELLUS, in the twenty-ninth book of the Digests.] Those things which cannot be divided into parts are owed in full by each of the heirs.
§50.17.192.1In re dubia benigniorem interpretationem sequi non minus iustius est quam tutius.
In a doubtful matter, to follow a more liberal interpretation is no less just than it is safe.

Notes

  1. 50.17.192.prsolida — Nominative neuter plural of the adjective solidus, agreeing with the subject Ea. It functions predicatively, meaning "in full" or "as a whole" rather than as a simple attribute.
  2. 50.17.192.1non minus iustius est quam tutius — A construction showing a redundancy in comparison. In classical Latin, one would expect either non minus iustum est quam tutum (using positive forms) or iustius est quam tutius (parallel comparative forms). The combination of non minus with the comparatives iustius and tutius reflects an emphatic or late Latin usage.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §50.17.192.pr-50.17.192.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:50.17.192.pr-50.17.192.1

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