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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §8.2.11.pr-8.2.11.1

Preserving Former Form in Light Obstruction and Height Disputes

Passage 1379 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This text rules that anyone wishing to obstruct a neighbor's light or convenience must preserve the form of existing buildings, and that an arbiter may be appointed if neighbors cannot agree on the permissible height of construction.

[ULPIANUS libro primo de officio consulis. ] §8.2.11.prQui luminibus uicinorum officere aliudue quid facere contra commodum eorum uellet, sciet se formam ac statum antiquorum aedificiorum custodire debere.
[ULPIANUS in the first book on the duty of consul.] Anyone who wishes to obstruct the lights of their neighbors or to do anything else against their convenience, shall know that they must preserve the shape and state of the ancient buildings.
§8.2.11.1Si inter te et uicinum tuum non conuenit, ad quam altitudinem extolli aedificia, quae facere instituisti, oporteat, arbitrum accipere poteris.
If it is not agreed between you and your neighbor to what height the buildings which you have undertaken to construct ought to be raised, you will be able to accept an arbiter.

Notes

  1. §8.2.11.prQui ... uellet, sciet se ... custodire debere — The relative clause introduced by 'qui' functions like a conditional clause ('if anyone should wish...'), which accounts for the subjunctive imperfect 'uellet'. The main verb is the future indicative 'sciet', which governs the accusative and infinitive construction 'se ... custodire debere', where the reflexive pronoun 'se' refers back to the logical subject of the main clause (qui).
  2. §8.2.11.1ad quam altitudinem extolli aedificia, quae facere instituisti, oporteat — This is an indirect question introduced by 'ad quam altitudinem', governed by the subjunctive present of the impersonal verb 'oporteat'. The noun 'aedificia', modified by the relative clause 'quae facere instituisti', serves as the subject accusative of the passive infinitive 'extolli'.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §8.2.11.pr-8.2.11.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:8.2.11.pr-8.2.11.1

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