De concubinis
(Concerning concubines.)
1 Ulpianus libro secundo ad legem Iuliam et Papiam. Quae in concubinatu est, ab invito patrono poterit discedere et alteri se aut in matrimonium aut in concubinatum dare? ego quidem probo in concubina adimendum ei conubium, si patronum invitum deserat, quippe cum honestius sit patrono libertam concubinam quam matrem familias habere. 1Cum Atilicino sentio et puto solas eas in concubinatu habere posse sine metu criminis, in quas stuprum non committitur. 2Qui autem damnatam adulterii in concubinatu habuit, non puto lege Iulia de adulteriis teneri, quamvis, si uxorem eam duxisset, teneretur. 3Si qua in patroni fuit concubinatu, deinde filii esse coepit vel in nepotis, vel contra, non puto eam recte facere, quia prope nefaria est huiusmodi coniunctio, et ideo huiusmodi facinus prohibendum est. 4Cuiuscumque aetatis concubinam habere posse palam est, nisi minor annis duodecim sit.
1 Ulpianus, On the Lex Julia et Papia, Book II. Where a freedwoman is living in concubinage with her patron, she can leave him without his consent, and unite with another man, either in matrimony or in concubinage. I think, however, that a concubine should not have the right to marry if she leaves her patron without his consent, since it is more honorable for a freedwoman to be the concubine of a patron than to become the mother of a family. 1I hold with Atilicinus, that only those women who are not disgraced by such a connection can be kept in concubinage without the fear of committing a crime. 2Where a man keeps in concubinage a woman who has been convicted of adultery, I do not think that the Lex Julia de Adulteriis will be applicable, although he will be liable if he should marry her. 3If a woman has lived in concubinage with her patron, and then maintains the same relation with his son or grandson, I do not think that she is acting properly, because a connection of this kind closely approaches one that is infamous, and therefore such scandalous conduct should be prohibited. 4It is clear that anyone can keep a concubine of any age unless she is less than twelve years old.
2 Paulus libro duodecimo ad legem Iuliam et Papiam. Si patronus libertam concubinam habens furere coeperit, in concubinatu eam esse humanius dicitur.
2 Paulus, On the Lex Julia et Papia, Book XII. Where a patron, who has a freedwoman as his concubine, becomes insane, it is more equitable to hold that she remains in concubinage.
3 Marcianus libro duodecimo institutionum. In concubinatu potest esse et aliena liberta et ingenua et maxime ea quae obscuro loco nata est vel quaestum corpore fecit. alioquin si honestae vitae et ingenuam mulierem in concubinatum habere maluerit, sine testatione hoc manifestum faciente non conceditur. sed necesse est ei vel uxorem eam habere vel hoc recusantem stuprum cum ea committere: 1Nec adulterium per concubinatum ab ipso committitur. nam quia concubinatus per leges nomen assumpsit, extra legis poenam est, ut et Marcellus libro septimo digestorum scripsit.
3 Marcianus, Institutes, Book XII. The freedwoman of another can be kept in concubinage as well as a woman who is born free, and this is especially the case where she is of a low origin, or has lived by prostitution; otherwise if a man prefers to keep a woman of respectable character and who is free born in concubinage, it is evident that he can not be permitted to do so without openly stating the fact in the presence of witnesses; but it will be necessary for him either to marry her, or if he refuses, to subject her to disgrace. 1Adultery is not committed by a party who lives with a concubine because concubinage obtains its name from the law, and does not involve a legal penalty; as Marcellus states in the Seventh Book of the Digest.
4 Paulus libro nono decimo responsorum. Concubinam ex sola animi destinatione aestimari oportet.
4 Paulus, Opinions, Book XIX. The woman must be considered a concubine even where only the intention to live with her is manifested.
5 Idem libro secundo sententiarum. Concubinam ex ea provincia, in qua quis aliquid administrat, habere potest.
5 The Same, Opinions, Book II. An official who is a resident of the province where he administers the duties of his office can keep a concubine.