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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §8.2.13.pr-8.2.13.1

Bath Pipes on Common Walls and Decoration Valuation

Passage 1381 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Proculus advises on the illegality of building baths with pipes along a common wall, and addresses the plastering of a common wall and the valuation of decorations under a stipulation for threatened damage upon demolition.

[PROCULUS libro secundo epistularum. ] §8.2.13.prQuidam Hiberus nomine, qui habet post horrea mea insulam, balnearia fecit secundum parietem communem: non licet autem tubulos habere admotos ad parietem communem, sicuti ne parietem quidem suum per parietem communem: de tubulis eo amplius hoc iuris est, quod per eos flamma torretur paries: qua de re uolo cum Hibero loquaris, ne rem illicitam faciat.
[PROCULUS in the second book of Epistles.] A certain man named Hiberus, who owns an insula behind my warehouses, built baths along the common wall; but it is not permitted to have pipes placed close to the common wall, just as it is not permitted to have even one's own wall supported by the common wall. Concerning the pipes, there is this much additional restriction in law, because through them the flame scorches the wall. On this matter I wish you to speak with Hiberus, so that he does not do an illicit thing.
Proculus respondit: nec Hiberum pro ea re dubitare puto, quod rem non permissam facit tubulos secundum communem parietem extruendo.
Proculus replied: I think that not even Hiberus himself doubts on that account, namely that he is doing an impermissible thing by constructing pipes along the common wall.
§8.2.13.1Parietem communem incrustare licet secundum Capitonis sententiam, sicut licet mihi pretiosissimas picturas habere in pariete communi: ceterum si demolitus sit uicinus et ex stipulatu actione damni infecti agatur, non pluris quam uulgaria tectoria aestimari debent: quod obseruari et in incrustatione oportet.
It is permitted to plaster a common wall according to the opinion of Capito, just as it is permitted for me to have very precious paintings on a common wall. But if a neighbor demolishes it and action is brought on a stipulation for threatened damage, they ought not to be valued at more than ordinary plaster; which rule ought also to be observed in the case of plastering.

Notes

  1. §8.2.13.prsicuti ne parietem quidem suum per parietem communem — An ellipsis of `[habere/struere licet]` is understood from the preceding clause. The preposition `per` indicates using the common wall as a support or passing through it to construct one's own wall.
  2. §8.2.13.preo amplius hoc iuris est, quod per eos flamma torretur paries — `eo` is an ablative of measure of difference modifying the comparative `amplius`. `hoc iuris` consists of the nominative pronoun `hoc` and the partitive genitive `iuris`. The `quod` clause is an appositive clause explaining `hoc`, showing that the physical fact of the flame heating the wall is the basis for the legal restriction.
  3. §8.2.13.prnec Hiberum pro ea re dubitare puto, quod rem non permissam facit — `dubitare` is an intransitive verb meaning 'to doubt' or 'to hesitate', with `Hiberum` as its subject in the accusative-and-infinitive construction. The `quod` clause is appositive to `pro ea re`, explaining the fact that 'he is doing an impermissible thing,' meaning that Hiberus himself cannot be in doubt about the illegality of his action.
  4. §8.2.13.1ex stipulatu actione damni infecti agatur — `agatur` is an impersonal passive meaning 'an action is brought'. `actione` is an ablative of instrument. `damni infecti` is a genitive modifying `actione`, referring to the legal remedy for threatened (not yet occurred) damage. `ex stipulatu` indicates that the action is based on a formal promise (stipulation) previously entered into.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §8.2.13.pr-8.2.13.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:8.2.13.pr-8.2.13.1

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