Page images
PDF
EPUB

peditur, quo minus negotia pupilli administrare possit, et pupillus vel absit vel infans sit, quem velit actorem periculo ipsius praetor vel qui provinciae praeerit decreto constituet.

XXIV.

DE SATISDATIONE TUTORUM ET CURATORUM.

Ne tamen pupillorum pupillarumve et eorum, qui quaeve in curatione sunt, negotia a tutoribus curatoribusve consumantur aut deminuantur, curat praetor, ut et tutores et curatores eo nomine satisdent. sed hoc non est perpetuum; nam tutores testamento dati satisdare non coguntur, quia fides eorum et diligentia ab ipso testatore probata est: item ex inquisitione tutores vel curatores dati satisdatione non 1 onerantur, quia idonei electi sunt. Sed et si ex testamento vel inquisitione duo pluresve dati fuerint, potest unus offerre satis de indemnitate pupilli vel adulescentis et contutori vel concuratori praeferri, ut solus administret, vel ut contutor satis offerens praeponatur ei, ut ipse solus administret. itaque per se non potest petere satis a contutore vel concuratore suo, sed offerre debet, ut electionem det contutori suo, utrum velit satis accipere an satis dare. quodsi nemo eorum satis offerat, si quidem adscriptum fuerit a testatore, quis gerat, ille gerere debet: quodsi non fuerit adscriptum, quem maior pars elegerit, ipse gerere debet, ut edicto praetoris cavetur. sin autem ipsi tutores dissenserint circa eligendum eum vel eos qui gerere debent, praetor partes suas interponere debet. idem et in pluribus ex inquisitione datis probandum est, id est ut maior pars eligere possit, per quem administratio fieret.

Tit. XXIV. The squandering of pupils' fortunes by their tutors is often dwelt upon by old writers: 'divitias.... ut ferme evenit, tutor immi nuit' Apuleius apol., 'multiformis plerumque perfidia tutorum' Symmach. Ep. 7. 65, 'cottidie suspecti tutores postulantur' Dig. 26. 10. I. pr. Tutors and curators, with the exceptions mentioned in the text, had to give security 'rem pupilli salvam fore' Bk. iii. 18. 4 inf., their own engagement always being supported by sureties. It was a question whether the patron and his sons were exempted from satisdatio: the better view seems to have been that it depended on the circumstances of the particular case, Dig. 26. 4. 5. I.

§ 1. Where there were several joint tutors or curators (1) the business

Sciendum autem est non solum tutores vel curatores pupillis 2 et adultis ceterisque personis ex administratione teneri, sed etiam in eos qui satisdationes accipiunt subsidiariam actionem esse, quae ultimum eis praesidium possit afferre. subsidiaria autem actio datur in eos, qui vel omnino a tutoribus vel curatoribus satisdari non curaverint aut non idonee passi essent caveri. quae quidem tam ex prudentium responsis quam ex constitutionibus imperialibus et in heredes eorum extenditur, Quibus constitutionibus et illud exprimitur, ut, nisi caveant 3 tutores vel curatores, pignoribus captis coerceantur. Neque 4 autem praefectus urbis neque praetor neque praeses provinciae neque quis alius cui tutores dandi ius est hac actione tenebitur, sed hi tantummodo qui satisdationem exigere solent.

:

might be entrusted specially to one of them, and that either by direction of the appointing testator or magistrate, or by mutual arrangement: the mode in which this last was settled is described in this section. The managing tutor or curator was then called tutor or curator gerens, the others honorarii sunt quidam tutores, qui honorarii appellantur: sunt, qui rei notitiae gratia dicuntur: sunt, qui ad hoc dantur, ut gerant, et hoc vel pater adicit, ut unus puta gerat, vel voluntate tutorum uni committitur gestus, vel praetor ita decernit. Dico igitur, cuicunque ex tutoribus fuerit solutum, etsi honorariis nam et ad hos periculum pertinet recte solvi, nisi interdicta iis a praetore fuerit administratio: nam si interdicta est, non recte solvitur' Dig. 46. 3. 14. 1: cf. Dig. 26. 7. 3. 1, ib. 14. 6. The tutores honorarii were responsible for the gerens' faults of commission and omission, and therefore had to keep an eye on his administration (cf. Bk. iii. 19. 20 inf.). (2) Each one might have been specially assigned to look after certain kinds of the ward's property, or his property in some specific locality; in this case he was, within his sphere of action, possessed of all the rights and subject to all the duties of a single guardian. (3) The administration might be undivided: in which case each had a complete right to manage the ward's affairs subject to his colleagues' right of veto, and the liability was joint throughout, even where loss was occasioned by the act or omission of a single member.

§ 2. When inferior magistrates appointed tutors or curators to persons whose fortunes fell below a certain minimum (Tit. 20. 4 supr.), they did so sine inquisitione, and therefore were bound to make the selected person give satisdatio in the usual manner. If they exacted insufficient security, they were made liable in person for all loss resulting from their negligence by a senatusconsult of Trajan, Cod. 5. 75. 5, and this liability was extended to their heirs by Antoninus Pius, Dig. 27. 8. 6. Higher magistrates who appointed ex inquisitione were never thus responsible, § 4 inf.

This title deals with only one of the modes in which persons in tutela

XXV.

DE EXCUSATIONIBUS.

Excusantur autem tutores vel curatores variis ex causis: plerumque autem propter liberos, sive in potestate sint sive emancipati. si enim tres liberos quis superstites Romae habeat vel in Italia quattuor vel in provinciis quinque, a tutela vel cura possunt excusari exemplo ceterorum munerum: nam et tutelam et curam placuit publicum munus esse. sed adoptivi liberi non prosunt, in adoptionem autem dati naturali patri prosunt. item nepotes ex filio prosunt, ut in locum patris succedant, ex filia non prosunt. filii autem superstites tantum ad tutelae vel curae muneris excusationem prosunt, defuncti non prosunt. sed si in bello amissi sunt, quaesitum est, an prosint. et constat eos solos prodesse qui in acie amittuntur: hi enim, quia pro re publica ceciderunt, in

or cura were secured against loss from the dishonesty or negligence of their tutors or curators. They were also protected (1) by the possibility of remotio, Tit. 26 inf. (2) By statutory restrictions on the tutor's or curator's powers, especially in respect of alienation: see on Tit. 13. I supr. (3) By a statutory hypothec over the tutor's or curator's whole property, which had certainly been established as early as the time of Constantine, Cod. 5. 37. 20. (4) By responsibility of other persons for the tutor or curator (in addition to his sureties and the appointing magistrate). These were the affirmatores, who had at the inquisitio borne witness to the character of the person appointed, and the nominatores, persons who proposed or suggested a tutor or curator in any particular case; this might happen (a) at the petitio tutoris. If a pupil had no tutor, anyone could apply for or suggest one, and some persons were bound to do this: e. g. the mother (Bk. iii. 3. 6 inf.), and other heirs presumptive ab intestato, under penalty, in default, of forfeiting their rights of succession if the pupil died impubes, Dig. 26. 6. 2. 2: also the libertus, under a pecuniary penalty, Dig. 16. 2. 1. (b) In cases where a man was appointed tutor or curator by a magistrate, he could usually procure exemption by suggesting some one better qualified (potioris nominatio) by reason of relationship. This right of nominatio was in many cases restricted (fragm. Vat. 158, Paul. rec. sent. 2. 29 'qui potiores nominare non possunt'), and was altogether abolished by Justinian.

Tit. XXV. For the Eastern Empire Romae means Constantinople, and Italia Thrace, schol. Theoph. By 'ut in patris locum succedant' is meant that any number of grandchildren by one dead son count only as one: ὅσοι δ ̓ ἂν ὦσιν ἔγγονοι ἐξ ἑνὸς υἱοῦ, ἀντὶ ἑνὸς τέκνου ἀριθμοῦνται, Dig.

perpetuum per gloriam vivere intelleguntur. Item divus 1 Marcus in semestribus rescripsit eum, qui res fisci administrat, a tutela vel cura quamdiu administrat excusari posse. Item 2 qui rei publicae causa absunt, a tutela et cura excusantur. sed et si fuerunt tutores vel curatores, deinde rei publicae causa abesse coeperunt, a tutela et cura excusantur, quatenus rei publicae causa absunt, et interea curator loco eorum datur. qui si reversi fuerint, recipiunt onus tutelae nec anni habent vacationem, ut Papinianus responsorum libro quinto scripsit: nam hoc spatium habent ad novas tutelas vocati. Et qui 3 potestatem aliquam habent, excusare se possunt, ut divus Marcus rescripsit, sed coeptam tutelam deserere non possunt. Item propter litem, quam cum pupillo vel adulto tutor vel 4 curator habet, excusare se nemo potest: nisi forte de omnibus bonis vel hereditate controversia sit. Item tria onera tutelae 5 non affectatae vel curae praestant vacationem, quamdiu

27. I. 2. 7. For the sentiment at the end of the section cf. Tyrtaeus, Carm. i. I; iii. 31, Plautus, Capt. 3. 5. 32, Cic. pro Balbo 17. 21, Planc. 37, Seneca, controv. 1. 8.

§ 1. Persons employed by the emperor on his own affairs could also claim exemption: 'hi vero, quibus princeps curam alicuius rei iunxit, excusantur a tutela, donec curam gerunt' Dig. 27. 1. 22. 1 ; ib. 41. pr., Cod. 5. 62. 10. The semestria was a collection of decisions delivered by M. Aurelius in his privy council-—so called perhaps because the latter was subject to reconstitution half yearly, Dig. 2. 14. 16; 18. 7. 10; 29. 2. 12. But a gloss says 'semestria sunt codex, in quo legislationes per sex menses prolatae in unum redigebantur.'

§ 2. Persons absent rei publicae causa were exempt from newly-tendered guardianships during their absence and for a year after their return: when sent abroad on such state business they were excused from any tutela which they were invested with at the time, but on their return they had to resume it without any 'anni vacatio' Dig. 27. 1. 10. 2, Cod. 5. 64. I.

§ 3. Potestas means any magistracy, superior or inferior, Dig. 27. 1. 6. 14-16; ib. 17. 4-5. Fragm. Vat. 146 ('qui Romae magistratu funguntur, quamdiu hoc funguntur, dari tutores non possunt') is not meant to exclude municipal magistrates.

§ 4. 'Propter litem, quam quis cum pupillo habet, excusare se a tutela non potest, nisi de omnibus bonis aut plurima parte eorum controversia sit' Dig. 27. 1. 21. pr., 'volumus .... si quis obligatum habuerit minorem aut eius res, hunc non omnino ad curationem eius, vel si a legibus vocetur, accedere' Nov. 72. 1.

§ 5. Yet if, even where a man already had three independent tutelae,

administrantur: ut tamen plurium pupillorum tutela vel cura eorundem bonorum, veluti fratrum, pro una computetur. 6 Sed et propter paupertatem excusationem tribui tam divi fratres quam per se divus Marcus rescripsit, si quis imparem 7 se oneri iniuncto possit docere. Item propter adversam valetudinem, propter quam nec suis quidem negotiis interesse 8 potest, excusatio locum habet. Similiter eum qui litteras nesciret excusandum esse divus Pius rescripsit: quamvis et imperiti litterarum possunt ad administrationem negotiorum 9 sufficere. Item si propter inimicitiam aliquem testamento tutorem pater dederit, hoc ipsum praestat ei excusationem : sicut per contrarium non excusantur, qui se tutelam patri 10 pupillorum administraturos promiserunt. Non esse autem admittendam excusationem eius, qui hoc solo utitur, quod 11 ignotus patri pupillorum sit, divi fratres rescripserunt. Inimicitiae, quas quis cum patre pupillorum vel adultorum exercuit, si capitales fuerunt nec reconciliatio intervenit, a tutela solent.

they gave him but little trouble, or if one of them was near its termination, he would not be easily excused; while conversely a single tutela of great difficulty or responsibility would be regarded as ground for exemption, Dig. 27. 1. 17. pr. ; ib. 31. It was not necessary that the three tutelae should be vested in the same person, provided they were 'in domo una,' and the paterfamilias was pecuniarily liable on them all, Dig. ib. 2. 9; '[affectata est] si vel appetita videatur, vel, cum posset quis se excusare, se non excusavit,' fragm. Vat. 188.

§ 6. The excusandus must be so poor as to require all his time to earn his own living, Dig. 27. 1.7; ib. 40. I. Persons too poor to give security if required were removed, Cod. 5. 42. 2. The divi fratres are M. Aurelius and Lucius Verus (A. D. 161–169).

§ 7. In a case of merely temporary illness a curator would be appointed ad interim, Dig. 27. 1. 10. 8. Physical defects, such as blindness, deafness, or dumbness, were also grounds of excuse (fragm. Vat. 238), though the last two are said in Dig. 26. I. 1. 2 and 3 to incapacitate.

§ 8. In Dig. 27. 1. 6. 19 Paulus and Modestinus cite a rescript of Hadrian and A. Pius, 'eius qui neget literas se scire excusatio accipi non debet, si modo non sit expers negotiorum.' Perhaps the best way of reconciling this with the text is to take § 8 in close connection with § 7 (similiter): 'ignorance of reading and writing is not, as a rule, a ground of excuse, any more than mere ill health in both cases there must be absolute inability to cope with business.'

§ 9. The last sentence of this section requires some such addition as 'etiamsi alias excusationem habeant' Dig. 27. 1. 15 1; 26. 2. 29. § 11. For this use of 'capitalis' cf. Cod. 2. 20. 7, ' capitales minae.'

« PreviousContinue »