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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §7.9.12.pr

Security and Recovery of Vessels Subject to Usufruct

Passage 1348 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian discusses the requirement of security when the usufruct of vessels is bequeathed, explaining that if no security is provided, the owner can bring a real action (uindicatio) to recover them, but cannot bring a personal action (condictio) except against a thief.

[ULPIANUS libro octauo decimo ad Sabinum. ] §7.9.12.prSi uasorum ipsorum usus fructus relictus sit, non erit cautio senatus consulti necessaria, sed illa sola 'boni uiri arbitratu usurum fruiturum'. si igitur tradita sunt fruendi causa, nemo dubitat non fieri eius qui accepit: non enim ideo traduntur, ut dominium recedat ab eo qui tradit, sed ut utatur fruatur legatarius.
[ULPIANUS in the eighteenth book on Sabinus.] If the usufruct of vessels themselves has been bequeathed, the security of the senatusconsultum will not be necessary, but only that classical one 'that he will use and enjoy according to the judgment of an honorable man.' Therefore, if they have been delivered for the purpose of enjoyment, no one doubts that they do not become the property of the recipient; for they are not delivered for the purpose of the ownership departing from the transferor, but so that the legatee may use and enjoy them.
ergo cum non fiant fructuarii uasa, uindicari a proprietario possunt cautione non data.
Therefore, since the vessels do not become the property of the usufructuary, they can be recovered by the owner if security is not given.
uidendum est de condictione, an possit locum habere: et proditum est neminem rem suam nisi furi condicere posse.
We must consider whether a personal action for return (condictio) can take place; and it is handed down that no one can bring a condictio for his own property except against a thief.

Notes

  1. §7.9.12.prboni uiri arbitratu usurum fruiturum — The noun `cautio` is understood with the demonstrative adjective `illa sola`. The phrase `'boni uiri arbitratu usurum fruiturum'` represents the standard verbal formula of the promise ('that [he] will use and enjoy...'), where `usurum [esse] fruiturum [esse]` are future active infinitives with the subject accusative `se` omitted.
  2. §7.9.12.prnon fieri eius — `eius` is a possessive genitive referring to the antecedent of `qui accepit` ('the one who received'), used with the verb `fieri` to denote 'does not become the property of the one who received.'
  3. §7.9.12.prcautione non data — An ablative absolute consisting of the noun `cautione` and the perfect participle `data` with the negative adverb `non`, expressing a conditional clause: 'if security is not given.'
  4. §7.9.12.prnisi furi condicere — Since the personal action `condictio` (claim for return) requires the defendant to transfer ownership (dare oportere), a person logically cannot bring it for their own property, as it is already theirs. However, as an exceptional rule in Roman law, the owner is allowed to bring a `condictio ex causa furti` against a thief (`fur`).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §7.9.12.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:7.9.12.pr

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