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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §50.9.4.pr-50.9.4.2

Invalidity of Favor-Based Decrees and Educational Exceptions

Passage 8771 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

It is laid down that decurions' decrees made out of personal favoritism, such as debt relief or property donations, are generally void, with the exception of salaries established for public benefits like liberal arts or medicine.

[ULPIANUS libro singulari de officio curatoris rei publicae. ] §50.9.4.prAmbitiosa decreta decurionum rescindi debent. siue aliquem debitorem dimiserint siue largiti sunt.
[ULPIANUS in the single book on the Office of the Curator of the Public Property.] Ambitious decrees of the decurions must be rescinded, whether they have released some debtor or have made a donation.
§50.9.4.1Proinde, ut solent, siue decreuerint de publico alicuius uel praedia uel aedes uel certam quantitatem praestari, nihil ualebit huiusmodi decretum.
Therefore, as they are accustomed to do, even if they have decreed that either estates or houses or a certain quantity [of money] of someone be provided from the public funds, a decree of this kind will have no validity.
§50.9.4.2Sed et si salarium alicui decuriones decreuerint, decretum id nonnumquam ullius erit momenti: ut puta si ob liberalem artem fuerit constitutum uel ob medicinam: ob has enim causas licet constitui salaria.
But even if the decurions have decreed a salary to someone, that decree will only sometimes be of any validity: as for instance, if it has been established for a liberal art or for medicine; for, for these causes, it is permitted that salaries be established.

Notes

  1. 50.9.4.prambitiosa — The adjective *ambitiosa* (ambitious), originally meaning 'seeking favor,' refers here to decrees made by decurions to win popularity or out of personal favoritism or bias, leading to the improper disposal of public funds.
  2. 50.9.4.1alicuius — The genitive *alicuius* (of someone) modifies *praedia uel aedes uel certam quantitatem*, meaning 'the estates, houses, or a certain quantity [of money] belonging to someone (or for someone's benefit)'. While some manuscripts or editions emend this to the dative *alicui* (to someone), the text is here read as retaining *alicuius* to denote the individual destined to receive the property.
  3. 50.9.4.2nonnumquam ullius erit momenti — The double negative *nonnumquam* (sometimes) followed by *ullius erit momenti* (will be of any importance/validity) indicates that the decree is not completely void (*nunquam*), but rather retains validity in certain exceptional cases. The subsequent *ut puta si...* (as for instance, if...) specifies these exceptions (liberal arts, medicine).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §50.9.4.pr-50.9.4.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:50.9.4.pr-50.9.4.2

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