Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §8.1.19.pr

Establishment of Servitude Lacking Direct Utility

Passage 1367 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Labeo argues that a servitude can be legally established on a tract of land being sold, even if it offers no immediate practical utility or advantage to the party concerned.

[LABEO libro quarto posteriorum a Iauoleno epitomatorum. ] §8.1.19.prEi fundo, quem quis uendat, seruitutem imponi, et si non utilis sit, posse existimo: ueluti si aquam alicui dedere ducere non expediret, nihilo minus constitui ea seruitus possit: quaedam enim debere habere possumus, quamuis ea nobis utilia non sunt.
[LABEO in the fourth book of his Epitomes of Posterior Works by Javolenus.] I think that a servitude can be imposed on a tract of land which someone sells, even if it is not useful; for example, even if it should not be expedient to grant or conduct water to anyone, nevertheless that servitude can be established; for we can hold certain things as due, even though they are not useful to us.

Notes

  1. 8.1.19.prEi fundo, quem quis uendat, seruitutem imponi, et si non utilis sit, posse existimo — An accusative-with-infinitive construction (`seruitutem ... imponi ... posse`) serving as the object of the main verb `existimo`. The relative clause `quem quis uendat` modifies `Ei fundo` (dative governing `imponi`).
  2. 8.1.19.prdebere habere — `debere` is interpreted either as a scribal error for the passive infinitive `deberi` ('to be owed/burdened') or as an active expression meaning 'to hold under an obligation (imposed on another).' In either case, it justifies the holding of a legal right (such as a servitude) as an obligation even in the absence of practical utility.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §8.1.19.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:8.1.19.pr

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