Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §9.4.13.pr

Noxal Actions Against Possessors in Bad Faith

Passage 1594 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Explains that a noxal action is granted not only against a bona fide possessor but also against bad faith possessors, as it would be absurd to hold the former liable while letting plunderers go free.

[GAIUS libro tertio decimo ad edictum prouinciale. ] §9.4.13.prNon solum aduersus bona fide possessorem, sed etiam aduersus eos qui mala fide possident noxalis actio datur: nam et absurdum uidetur eos quidem qui bona fide possiderent excipere actionem, praedones uero securos esse.
[GAIUS, Book 13 on the Provincial Edict] A noxal action is granted not only against a bona fide possessor, but also against those who possess in bad faith; for it indeed seems absurd that those who possess in good faith should sustain the action, whereas plunderers go free.

Notes

  1. §9.4.13.prexcipere actionem — The verb 'excipere' in a legal context means to sustain, undergo, or defend against an action. Here it refers to the bona fide possessor accepting the status of a defendant in a noxal action.
  2. §9.4.13.prpraedones — A noun meaning 'plunderers' or 'robbers', used here as a strong and figurative legal metonymy to refer back to those who possess in bad faith (mala fide possident).
  3. §9.4.13.prabsurdum uidetur ... — Two contrasting accusative-with-infinitive (ACI) clauses ('eos quidem... excipere actionem' and 'praedones uero securos esse') serve as the subject of 'absurdum uidetur'. The word 'et' functions emphatically here as 'indeed' or 'really'.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §9.4.13.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:9.4.13.pr

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