De fugitivis
(Concerning Fugitive Slaves.)
1 Ulpianus libro primo ad edictum. Is qui fugitivum celavit fur est. 1Senatus censuit, ne fugitivi admittantur in saltus neque protegantur a vilicis vel procuratoribus possessorum et multam statuit: his autem, qui intra viginti dies fugitivos vel dominis reddidissent vel apud magistratus exhibuissent, veniam in ante actum dedit: sed et deinceps eodem senatus consulto impunitas datur ei, qui intra praestituta tempora, quam repperit fugitivos in agro suo, domino vel magistratibus tradiderit. 2Hoc autem senatus consultum aditum etiam dedit militi vel pagano ad investigandum fugitivum in praedia senatorum vel paganorum (cui rei etiam lex Fabia prospexerat et senatus consultum Modesto consule factum), ut fugitivos inquirere volentibus litterae ad magistratus dentur, multa etiam centum solidorum in magistratus statuta, si litteris acceptis inquirentes non adiuvent. sed et in eum, qui quaeri apud se prohibuit, eadem poena statuta. est etiam generalis epistula divorum Marci et commodi, qua declaratur et praesides et magistratus et milites stationarios dominum adiuvare debere inquirendis fugitivis, et ut inventos redderent, et ut hi, apud quos delitescant, puniantur, si crimine contingantur. 3Unusquisque eorum, qui fugitivum adpraehendit, in publicum deducere debet. 4Et merito monentur magistratus eos diligenter custodire, ne evadant. 5Fugitivum accipe et si quis erro sit. fugitivi autem appellatione ex fugitiva natum non contineri Labeo libro primo ad edictum scribit. 6In publicum deduci intelleguntur qui magistratibus municipalibus traditi sunt vel publicis ministeriis. 7Diligens custodia etiam vincire permittit. 8Tamdiu autem custodiuntur, quamdiu ad praefectum vigilum vel ad praesidem deducantur. 8aEorumque nomina et notae et cuius se quis esse dicat ad magistratus deferantur, ut facilius adgnosci et percipi fugitivi possint (notae autem verbo etiam cicatrices continentur): idem iuris est, si haec in scriptis publice vel in aedes proponas.
1 Ulpinaus, On the Edict, Book I. He who conceals a fugitive slave is a thief. 1The Senate decreed that fugitive slaves shall not be admitted on land or be protected by the superintendents or agents of the possessors of the same, and prescribed a fine. But, if anyone should, within twenty days, restore fugitive slaves to their owners, or bring them before magistrates, what they had previously done will be pardoned; but it was afterwards stated in the same Decree of the Senate that immunity is granted to anyone who restores fugitive slaves to their masters, or produces them before a magistrate within the prescribed time, when they are found on his premises. 2This decree also granted a right of entry to a soldier or civilian on the estates of Senators or private parties for the purpose of searching for a fugitive slave, and, indeed, the Lex Fabia, as well as the Decree of the Senate which was enacted while Modestus was Consul, had reference to this matter. It is stated therein that where parties wished to search for fugitive slaves, letters should be given them addressed to magistrates, and a fine of a hundred solidi was established to be imposed upon the magistrates, if, having received the letters, they refused to assist the parties making the search; and the same penalty was inflicted upon anyone who refused to allow the search to be made on his premises. A general Rescript of the Divine Marcus and Commodus is extant, in which it is set forth that all governors, magistrates, troops and garrisons are obliged to assist persons who are searching for fugitive slaves, and to surrender them if they are found; and that any parties on whose land the slaves are concealed shall be punished if they are implicated in the crime. 3Every person whosoever who arrests a fugitive slave is bound to produce him in public. 4And the magistrates are very properly notified to detain them carefully in custody to prevent their escape. 5You must understand the word “fugitive” to include a slave who is in the habit of running about. Labeo, however, says in the first Book on the Edict, that the offspring of a fugitive female slave is not included in this designation. 6A slave is understood to be produced in public who is delivered up to the municipal magistrates or officers of the government. 7Careful custody permits the use of irons. 8The slaves must be held in custody until they are brought before the Prefect of the Watch, or the Governor. 8aInformation must be given to the magistrates of their names and marks, as well as the addresses of the party to whom any one of them says he belongs; in order that fugitive slaves may be the more easily recognized, and claimed. And in the word “marks” scars are also included. The rule is the same where these matters are brought to public notice by writing in a public place or in a temple.
2 Callistratus libro sexto cognitionum. Fugitivi simplices dominis reddendi sunt: sed si pro libero se gesserint, gravius coerceri solent.
2 Callistratus, Judicial Inquiries, Book VI. Slaves who are simply fugitives should be returned to their masters; but where they pretend to be free, it is customary to punish them severely.
3 Ulpianus libro septimo de officio proconsulis. Divus Pius rescripsit eum, qui fugitivum vult requirere in praediis alienis, posse adire praesidem litteras ei daturum et, si ita res exegerit, apparitorem quoque, ut ei permittatur ingredi et inquirere, et poenam eundem praesidem in eum constituere, qui inquiri non permisserit. sed et divus Marcus oratione, quam in senatu recitavit, facultatem dedit ingrediendi tam Caesaris quam senatorum et paganorum praedia volentibus fugitivos inquirere scrutarique cubilia atque vestigia occultantium.
3 Ulpianus, On the Office of Proconsul, Book VII. The Divine Pius stated in a Rescript that, where a party wishes to search for a fugitive slave on the premises of another, he can apply to the Governor for letters to be furnished him; and, if the case demands it, an officer also, in order that he may be permitted to enter and make search, and the Governor can also inflict a penalty upon him who does not permit the search to be made. The Divine Marcus, in an Address which he delivered before the Senate, granted power to parties who wished to search for fugitive slaves to enter upon and search the land of the Emperor, as well as that of Senators and private individuals for fugitive slaves, and to examine the bed-rooms and tracks of those who concealed them.
4 Paulus libro primo sententiarum. Limenarchae et stationarii fugitivos depraehensos recte in custodiam retinent. magistratus municipales ad officium praesidis provinciae vel proconsulis conpraehensos fugitivos recte transmittunt.
4 Paulus, Sentences, Book I. Custom-house officers and policemen are required to carefully retain fugitive slaves in custody after they have been caught. Municipal magistrates must also send such fugitive slaves, after they have been caught, properly guarded to the office of the Governor of the province or the Proconsul.
5 Tryphoninus libro primo disputationum. Si in harenam fugitivus servus se dederit, ne isto quidem periculo, discriminis vitae tantum, sibi irrogato potestatem domini evitare poterit: nam divus Pius rescripsit omnimodo eos dominis suis reddere sive ante pugnam ad bestias sive post pugnam, quoniam interdum aut pecunia interversa aut commisso aliquo maiore maleficio ad fugiendam inquisitionem vel iustitiam animadversionis in harenam se dare mallent. reddi ergo eos oportet.
5 Tryphoninus, Disputations, Book I. Where a fugitive slave betakes himself to the arena, he cannot escape the power of his master by exposing himself to this danger, which is only that of the risk of death; for the Divine Pius stated in a Rescript that such a slave must, by all means, be restored to his master, either before or after the combat with wild beasts; since sometimes he may have embezzled money, or committed some other greater breach of the law, so that he would prefer to betake himself to the arena rather than undergo an inquiry, or suffer punishment for his flight, hence he must be given up.