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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §8.4.4.pr

Impossibility of Establishing Servitudes on Sacred Places

Passage 1451 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

The text argues that since sacred things like monuments are exempt from human law, it is impossible to establish servitudes on them, such as limiting construction height or specifying the number of people to be buried.

[IAUOLENUS libro decimo ex Cassio. ] §8.4.4.prCaueri, ut ad certam altitudinem monumentum aedificetur, non potest, quia id, quod humani iuris esse desiit, seruitutem non recipit: sicut ne illa quidem seruitus consistere potest, ut certus numerus hominum in uno loco humetur.
[JAVOLENUS, From Cassius, Book 10] It is not possible to agree that a monument shall be built to a certain height, because that which has ceased to be subject to human law does not admit of a servitude; just as not even that servitude can exist, that a certain number of persons should be buried in one place.

Notes

  1. 8.4.4.prcaueri ... non potest — The present passive infinitive caueri (to be agreed/stipulated) is used with the impersonal potest to form an impersonal passive construction meaning "it is not possible to stipulate". The ut clause functions as a noun clause (clause of purpose) indicating the content of the stipulation.
  2. 8.4.4.prhumani iuris — A genitive of possession/characteristic used with esse, meaning "to be subject to human law (private law)". Once a monument becomes a "religious thing" (res religiosa) by burial, it is excluded from private transactions and thus cannot support a servitude (seruitus).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §8.4.4.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:8.4.4.pr

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