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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §50.2.7.pr-50.2.7.3

Allocation of Offices and Duties and Limits on Decurions

Passage 8688 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

The passage regulates the imposition of offices and duties, the exemption of the deaf and mute from honors but not duties, the restriction of public offices to decurions, and the method for a father to declare non-consent to his son's decurionate.

[PAULUS libro primo sententiarum. ] §50.2.7.pronores et munera non ordinatione, sed potioribus quibusque iniungenda sunt.
[PAULUS, In the First Book of Opinions.] Honors and duties must be imposed not by order, but on each of the more qualified persons.
§50.2.7.1Surdus et mutus si in totum non audiant aut non loquantur, ab honoribus ciuilibus, non etiam a muneribus excusantur.
Deaf and mute persons, if they do not hear or speak at all, are excused from civil honors, but not also from duties.
§50.2.7.2Is, qui non sit decurio, duumuiratu uel aliis honoribus fungi non potest, quia decurionum honoribus plebeii fungi prohibentur.
He who is not a decurion cannot perform the duties of the duumvirate or other honors, because plebeians are forbidden to perform the honors of decurions.
§50.2.7.3Ad decurionatum filii ita demum pater non consentit, si contrariam uoluntatem uel apud acta praesidis uel apud ipsum ordinem uel quo alio modo contestatus sit.
A father is deemed not to consent to his son's decurionate only if he has declared his contrary will either in the records of the governor, or before the assembly itself, or in any other manner.

Notes

  1. 50.2.7.pronores — This is due to the omission or space left for an illuminated initial 'H' in the manuscripts, and should be read as `honores` (honors, public offices).
  2. 50.2.7.prpotioribus quibusque — The combination of the comparative `potior` (more qualified/preferable) and the pronoun `quisque` expresses "all the most qualified persons" or "each of the more suitable persons."
  3. 50.2.7.3ita demum ... si — A formulaic expression indicating a strict restrictive condition, meaning "only if..." or "then and only then, if..."

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §50.2.7.pr-50.2.7.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:50.2.7.pr-50.2.7.3

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