[CALLISTRATUS libro primo de cognitionibus. ] §50.6.6.prSemper in ciuitate nostra senectus uenerabilis fuit: namque maiores nostri paene eundem honorem senibus, quem magistratibus tribuebant.
[CALLISTRATUS, from the first book of Inquiry.] In our state, old age has always been held in honor; for our ancestors bestowed almost the same respect upon old men as they did upon magistrates.
circa munera quoque municipalia subeunda idem honor senectuti tributus est.
Regarding the undertaking of municipal duties also, the same respect has been paid to old age.
sed eum, qui in senectute locuples factus est et ante nullo publico munere functus est, dici potest non eximi ab hoc onere priuilegio aetatis, maxime si non tam corporis habeat uexationem quam pecuniae erogationem indicti muneris administratio, et ex ea sit ciuitate, in qua non facile sufficientes uiri publicis muneribus inueniantur.
But in the case of a person who has become rich in old age and has previously performed no public duty, it can be said that he is not excused from this burden by the privilege of age, especially if the administration of the imposed duty involves the expenditure of money rather than physical hardship, and he belongs to a city in which sufficient men for public duties are not easily found.
§50.6.6.1Legem quoque respici cuiusque loci oportet, an, cum aliquas immunitates nominatim complecteretur, etiam de numero annorum in ea conmemoretur.
The law of each place must also be considered, as to whether, when it specifically includes certain immunities, mention is also made therein of the number of years.
idque etiam colligi potest ex litteris diui Pii, quas emisit ad Ennium Proculum proconsulem prouinciae Africae.
And this can also be gathered from the letter of the deified Pius, which he sent to Ennius Proculus, proconsul of the province of Africa.
§50.6.6.2Demonstratur uarie nec abscise numerum liberorum ad excusationem municipalium munerum prodesse ex rescriptis diui Heluii Pertinacis.
It is shown in various ways and not in an absolute manner from the rescripts of the deified Helvius Pertinax that the number of children is of benefit for excuse from municipal duties.
namque Siluio Candido in haec uerba rescripsit: 'Εἰ καὶ μὴ πασῶν λειτουργιῶν ἀφίησιν τοὺς πατέρας ὁ τῶν τέκνων ἀριθμός, ἀλλ' οὖν ἐπειδὴ ἑκκαίδεκα παῖδας ἔχειν διὰ τοῦ βιβλίου ἐδήλωσας, οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλογον, ὥστε συγχωρῆσαι σχολάζειν τῇ παιδοτροφίᾳ καὶ ἀνέσθαι σε τῶν λειτουργιῶν'. §50.6.6.3Negotiatores, qui annonam urbis adiuuant, item nauicularii, qui annonae urbis seruiunt, immunitatem a muneribus publicis consequuntur, quamdiu in eiusmodi actu sunt.
For he replied to Silvius Candidus in these words: "Even if the number of children does not release fathers from all public services, nevertheless, since you have declared in your petition that you have sixteen children, it is not unreasonable to allow you to devote your time to child-rearing and to excuse you from public services." Merchants who assist the grain supply of the city, and likewise shipowners who serve the grain supply of the city, obtain immunity from public duties as long as they are engaged in this kind of activity.
nam remuneranda pericula eorum, quin etiam exhortanda praemiis merito placuit, ut qui peregre muneribus et quidem publicis cum periculo et labore fungantur, a domesticis uexationibus et sumptibus liberentur: cum non sit alienum dicere etiam hos rei publicae causa, dum annonae urbis seruiunt, abesse.
For it has been justly decided that their dangers should be rewarded, and indeed encouraged with prizes, so that those who perform duties abroad, and indeed public ones, with danger and labor, may be freed from domestic vexations and expenses: since it is not improper to say that these also are absent on account of the state while they are serving the grain supply of the city.
§50.6.6.4Immunitati, quae nauiculariis praestatur, certa forma data est: quam immunitatem ipsi dumtaxat habent, non etiam liberis aut libertis eorum praestatur: idque principalibus constitutionibus declaratur.
A certain form has been given to the immunity granted to shipowners: which immunity they themselves alone possess, and it is not granted to their children or freedmen; and this is declared by imperial constitutions.
§50.6.6.5Diuus Hadrianus rescripsit immunitatem nauium maritimarum dumtaxat habere, qui annonae urbis seruiunt.
The deified Hadrian replied that only those who serve the grain supply of the city have the immunity of maritime ships.
§50.6.6.6Licet in corpore nauiculariorum quis sit, nauem tamen uel naues non habeat nec omnia ei congruant, quae principalibus constitutionibus cauta sunt, non poterit priuilegio nauiculariis indulto uti.
Even though someone is in the guild of shipowners, yet if he does not own a ship or ships, and if all the conditions stipulated in the imperial constitutions do not apply to him, he cannot use the privilege granted to shipowners.
idque et diui fratres rescripserunt in haec uerba: 'Ἦσαν καὶ ἄλλοι τινὲς ἐπὶ προφάσει τῶν ναυκλήρων καὶ τὸν σῖτον καὶ ἔλαιον ἐμπορευομένων εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν τοῦ δήμου τοῦ Ῥωμαϊκοῦ ὄντων ἀτελῶν ἀξιοῦντες τὰς λειτουργίας διαδιδράσκειν, μήτε ἐπιπλέοντες μήτε τὸ πλέον μέρος τῆς οὐσίας ἐν ταῖς ναυκληρίαις καὶ ταῖς ἐμπορίαις ἔχοντες.
And this the deified brothers also replied in these words: "There were also certain others who, on the pretext of being shipowners and importing grain and oil into the market of the Roman people, and thus being exempt, claimed to escape public services, though they neither sailed nor had the greater part of their property in shipping and trading.
ἀφαιρεθήτω τῶν τοιούτων ἡ ἀτέλεια'. H §50.6.6.7oc circa uacationes dicendum est, ut, si ante quis ad munera municipalia uocatus sit, quam negotiari inciperet, uel antequam in collegium adsumeretur quod immunitatem pariat, uel antequam septuagenarius fieret, uel antequam publice profiteretur, uel antequam liberos susciperet, compellatur ad honorem gerendum.
Let the exemption of such persons be taken away." This must be said concerning exemptions: that if anyone is called to municipal duties before he begins to trade, or before he is admitted into a guild which yields immunity, or before he becomes seventy years of age, or before he publicly declares his profession, or before he has children, he shall be compelled to perform the office.
§50.6.6.8Negotiatio pro incremento facultatium exercenda est.
Trading must be carried on in proportion to the increase of resources.
alioquin si quis maiore pecuniae suae parte negotiationem exercebit, rursus locuples factus in eadem quantitate negotiationis perseuerauerit, tenebitur muneribus, sicuti locupletes, qui modica pecunia comparatis nauibus muneribus se publicis subtrahere temptant: idque ita obseruandum epistula diui Hadriani scripta est.
Otherwise, if anyone carries on trade with the larger part of his money, and, having become rich again, continues in the same scale of trade, he shall be liable to duties just like those wealthy persons who, having purchased ships with a small sum of money, attempt to withdraw themselves from public duties; and it is written in a letter of the deified Hadrian that this must be so observed.
§50.6.6.9Diuus quoque Pius rescripsit, ut, quotiens de aliquo nauiculario quaeratur, illud excutiatur, an effugiendorum munerum causa imaginem nauicularii induat.
The deified Pius also replied that, whenever a question arises concerning any shipowner, this should be thoroughly investigated: whether, for the sake of escaping duties, he puts on the appearance of a shipowner.
§50.6.6.10Conductores etiam uectigalium fisci necessitate subeundorum municipalium munerum non obstringuntur: idque ita obseruandum diui fratres rescripserunt.
Lessees of the revenues of the treasury are also not bound by the necessity of undergoing municipal duties; and the deified brothers replied that this must be so observed.
ex quo principali rescripto intellegi potest non honori conductorum datum, ne compellantur ad munera municipalia, sed ne extenuentur facultates eorum, quae subsignatae sint fisco.
From this imperial rescript it can be understood that it was not granted out of respect for the lessees that they are not compelled to municipal duties, but lest their resources, which have been pledged to the treasury, should be diminished.
unde subsisti potest, an prohibendi sint a praeside uel procuratore Caesaris etiam si ultro se offerant municipalibus muneribus: quod propius est defendere, nisi si paria fisco fecisse dicantur.
Hence it can be questioned whether they ought to be forbidden by the governor or the procurator of Caesar, even if they voluntarily offer themselves for municipal duties; which opinion it is more reasonable to defend, unless they are said to have settled their accounts with the treasury.
§50.6.6.11Coloni quoque Caesaris a muneribus liberantur, ut idoniores praediis fiscalibus habeantur.
The tenants of Caesar are also freed from duties, so that they may be more capable for the fiscal estates.
§50.6.6.12Quibusdam collegiis uel corporibus, quibus ius coeundi lege permissum est, immunitas tribuitur: scilicet eis collegiis uel corporibus, in quibus artificii sui causa unusquisque adsumitur, ut fabrorum corpus est et si qua eandem rationem originis habent, id est idcirco instituta sunt, ut necessariam operam publicis utilitatibus exhiberent.
Immunity is granted to certain guilds or associations to which the right of meeting is permitted by law: namely, to those guilds or associations in which each person is admitted for the sake of his craft, such as the association of craftsmen, and any others that have the same basis of origin, that is, are established for the purpose of rendering necessary service to public utilities.
nec omnibus promiscue, qui adsumpti sunt in his collegiis, immunitas datur, sed artificibus dumtaxat.
Nor is immunity given indiscriminately to all who have been admitted into these guilds, but only to craftsmen.
nec ab omni aetate allegi possunt, ut diuo Pio placuit, qui reprobauit prolixae uel inbecillae admodum aetatis homines.
Nor can they be chosen from every age, as was decided by the deified Pius, who rejected men of overly advanced or extremely weak age.
sed ne quidem eos, qui augeant facultates et munera ciuitatium sustinere possunt, priuilegiis, quae tenuioribus per collegia distributis concessa sunt, uti posse plurifariam constitutum est.
But it has been established in many ways that not even those who increase their resources and are able to bear the duties of the cities can use the privileges which have been granted to the poorer members distributed through the guilds.
§50.6.6.13Eos, qui in corporibus allecti sunt, quae immunitatem praebent nauiculariorum, si honorem decurionatus adgnouerint, compellendos subire publica munera accepi: idque etiam confirmatum uidetur rescripto diui Pertinacis.
I have understood that those who have been enrolled in associations which grant the immunity of shipowners, if they have accepted the honor of the decurionate, must be compelled to undergo public duties; and this also seems to be confirmed by a rescript of the deified Pertinax.