[PAULUS libro octauo decimo ad edictum. ] §9.4.26.prElectio uero alterum liberabit: id enim praetor introduxit, ne eluderetur actor, non ut etiam lucrum faceret: ideoque exceptione a sequenti summouebitur.
[PAULUS, Book 18 of the Commentary on the Edict] But the choice will release the other: for the praetor introduced this so that the plaintiff would not be eluded, not so that he might also make a profit; and therefore, he will be barred by an exception from the subsequent defendant.
§9.4.26.1His consequens est, ut, si plures dolo fecerint, quo minus in potestate haberent, eligere debeat actor, quem uelit conuenire.
It follows from this that, if several persons have acted with malice to prevent themselves from having the slave in their power, the plaintiff must choose whom he wishes to sue.
§9.4.26.2Item si ex pluribus dominis quidam dolo malo partes suas desierint possidere, electio erit actoris, utrum directo agere uelit cum eo qui possidet an praetoria cum eo qui desiit possidere.
Likewise, if out of several owners some have with malice ceased to possess their shares, the plaintiff will have the choice whether he wishes to bring a direct action against the one who possesses, or a praetorian action against the one who ceased to possess.
§9.4.26.3Si seruum alienum alius in iure suum esse responderit, altero soluente alter liberatur.
If someone else answers in court that a slave belonging to another is his, one paying releases the other.
§9.4.26.4Si is, quem desieris dolo possidere, decesserit, priusquam hac actione conuenireris, liberaris, quia haec actio in locum directae actionis succedit: diuersum dicemus, si moram feceris in iudicio accipiendo.
If the slave whom you have with malice ceased to possess dies before you are sued by this action, you are released, because this action succeeds to the place of the direct action; we shall say otherwise if you were in default in accepting the trial.
§9.4.26.5Neque heredi neque in heredem, quod defunctus mentitus est, actio danda est, nec in ipsum quolibet tempore: nam liberum esse debet defendenti absentem seruum huius edicti poenam euitare, id est ut sine noxae deditione conueniatur.
No action is to be given either for or against an heir for what the deceased lied about, nor against the person himself at any time; for it ought to be free for one defending an absent slave to avoid the penalty of this edict, that is, to be sued without noxal surrender.
et ideo si negaueris seruum in tua potestate esse, postea fateri poteris, nisi si iam lis aduersus te contestata est: nam tunc audiri non debebis, ut Labeo ait: Octauenus ex causa etiam lite contestata tibi succurrendum, utique si aetas tua ea sit, ut ignosci tibi debeat.
And therefore, if you have denied that the slave is in your power, you can later confess, unless joinder of issue has already taken place against you; for then you ought not to be heard, as Labeo says. Octavenus, however, says that relief should be granted to you for cause even after joinder of issue, especially if your age is such that you ought to be excused.
§9.4.26.6Si absente domino ductus sit seruus uel etiam praesente et in eadem causa sit, ut in integrum restitui possit, defensio permittitur eius nomine qui ductus est: postulantibus enim exhiberi eum ad defendendum indulgere praetor debet.
If a slave has been led away in the absence of the owner, or even in his presence and the situation is such that he can be restored to his original state, defense is permitted in the name of him who was led away; for the praetor ought to indulge those who request that he be produced for defense.
idem concedendum est fructuario uel cui pignoris nomine obligatus est, si praesens dominus defendere noluerit, ne alterius dolus aut desidia aliis noceat.
The same must be granted to a usufructuary or to one to whom the slave is bound under title of pledge, if the owner, being present, refuses to defend, lest the malice or negligence of one person should harm others.
idem praestandum est in seruo communi, quem alter ex dominis praesens noluit defendere.
The same must be provided in the case of a common slave whom one of the owners, being present, has refused to defend.
sed et actori his casibus succurrendum est, quia placet dominii adquisitione extingui actionem: iussu enim praetoris ductus in bonis fit eius qui duxit.
But the plaintiff also must be relieved in these cases, because it is accepted that the action is extinguished by the acquisition of ownership; for when led away by order of the praetor, the slave becomes part of the goods of the one who led him away.