De officio procuratoris Caesaris vel rationalis
(Concerning the Office of the Imperial Steward or accountant.)
1 Ulpianus libro sexto decimo ad edictum. Quae acta gestaque sunt a procuratore Caesaris, sic ab eo comprobantur, atque si a Caesare gesta sunt. 1Si rem Caesaris procurator eius quasi rem propriam tradat, non puto eum dominium transferre: tunc enim transfert, cum negotium Caesaris gerens consensu ipsius tradit. denique si venditionis vel donationis vel transactionis causa quid agat, nihil agit: non enim alienare ei rem Caesaris, sed diligenter gerere commissum est. 2Est hoc praecipuum in procuratore Caesaris, quod et eius iussu servus Caesaris adire hereditatem potest et, si Caesar heres instituatur, miscendo se opulentae hereditati procurator heredem Caesarem facit.
1 Ulpianus, On the Edict, Book XVI. All acts performed by the Imperial Steward are approved by the Emperor, just as if they had been performed by himself. 1If the Imperial Steward disposes of any property which belongs to the Emperor as his own, I do not think that the ownership of the same is transferred; for he only makes a legal transfer while he is conducting the business of the Emperor and delivers it with his consent; for if he performs any act for the purpose of effecting a sale, a gift, or an agreement, it is void; as he has no authority to alienate the Emperor’s property, but only to diligently administer it. 2It is a special function of the Imperial Steward that, by his order, a slave of the Emperor may enter upon an estate, and if the Emperor is appointed heir, the Procurator, by interfering with a rich estate, makes the Emperor the heir.
2 Paulus libro quinto sententiarum. Quod si ea bona, ex quibus imperator heres institutus est, solvendo non sint, re perspecta consulitur imperator: heredis enim instituti in adeundis vel repudiandis huiusmodi hereditatibus voluntas exploranda est.
2 Paulus, Sentences, Book V. If, however, the estate to which the Emperor is appointed heir is not solvent, after this has been learned, the Emperor must be consulted; for the wishes of an heir who has been appointed must be ascertained as to whether he will accept or reject an estate of this kind.
3 Callistratus libro sexto de cognitionibus. Curatores Caesaris ius deportandi non habent, quia huius poenae constituendae ius non habent. 1Si tamen quasi tumultuosum vel iniuriosum adversus colonos Caesaris prohibuerint in praedia Caesariana accedere, abstinere debebit idque divus Pius Iulio rescripsit. 2Deinde neque redire cuiquam permittere possunt idque imperatores nostri Severus et Antoninus ad libellum Hermiae rescripserunt.
3 Callistratus, On Judicial Inquiries, Book VI. The Imperial Stewards cannot sentence to deportation, for the reason that they have not the right of imposing this penalty. 1If, however, they forbid anyone to enter upon the land of the Emperor because his riotous or violent conduct might injure the Imperial tenants, the person is obliged to withdraw; for this the Divine Pius stated in a Rescript to Julius. 2Stewards cannot give permission to anyone to return after deportation, and this our Emperors Severus and Antoninus stated in a Rescript in answer to a petition of Hermias.