De cloacis
(Concerning the Interdict Which Has Reference to Sewers.)
1 Ulpianus libro septuagensimo primo ad edictum. Praetor ait: ‘Quo minus illi cloacam quae ex aedibus eius in tuas pertinet, qua de agitur, purgare reficere liceat, vim fieri veto. damni infecti, quod operis vitio factum sit, caveri iubebo’. 1Sub hoc titulo duo interdicta praetor subiecit, unum prohibitorium, alterum restitutorium: et primum prohibitorium. 2Curavit autem praetor per haec interdicta, ut cloacae et purgentur et reficiantur, quorum utrumque et ad salubritatem civitatium et ad tutelam pertinet: nam et caelum pestilens et ruinas minantur immunditiae cloacarum, si non reficiantur. 3Hoc autem interdictum propositum est de cloacis privatis: publicae enim cloacae publicam curam merentur. 4Cloaca autem est locus cavus, per quem colluvies quaedam fluat. 5Hoc interdictum, quod primum proponitur, prohibitorium est, quo prohibetur vicinus vim facere, quo minus cloaca purgetur et reficiatur. 6Cloacae appellatione et tubus et fistula continetur. 7Quia autem cloacarum refectio et purgatio ad publicam utilitatem spectare videtur, idcirco placuit non esse in interdicto addendum ‘quod non vi non clam non precario ab illo usus’, ut, etiamsi quis talem usum habuerit, tamen non prohibeatur volens cloacam reficere vel purgare. 8Deinde ait praetor ‘quae ex aedibus eius in tuas pertinet’. aedes hic accipere debes pro omni aedificio, hoc est ex aedificio eius in tuum aedificium. hoc amplius Labeo putabat hoc interdicto locum esse et si area ab utralibet parte aedium sit et si forte, inquit, cloaca ducta sit ex urbano aedificio in proximum agrum. 9Idem Labeo etiam eum, qui privatam cloacam in publicam immittere velit, tuendum, ne ei vis fiat. sed et si quis velit talem cloacam facere, ut exitum habeat in publicam cloacam, non esse eum impediendum Pomponius scribit. 10Quod ait praetor ‘pertinet’ hoc significat, quod ex aedibus eius in tuas pertinet, hoc est ‘derigitur, extenditur, pervenit’. 11Et tam ad proximum vicinum hoc interdictum pertinet quam adversus ulteriores, per quorum aedes cloaca currit. 12Unde Fabius Mela scribit competere hoc interdictum, ut in vicini aedes veniat et rescindat pavimenta purgandae cloacae gratia. verendum tamen esse Pomponius scribit, ne eo casu damni infecti stipulatio committatur. sed haec stipulatio non committitur, si paratus sit restaurare id, quod ex necessitate reficiendae cloacae causa resciderat. 13Si quis purganti mihi cloacam vel reficienti opus novum nuntiaverit, rectissime dicetur contempta nuntiatione me posse reficere id quod institueram. 14Sed et damni infecti cautionem pollicetur, si quid operis vitio factum est: nam sicuti reficere cloacas et purgare permittendum fuit, ita dicendum, ne damnum aedibus alienis detur. 15Deinde ait praetor: ‘Quod in cloaca publica factum sive ea immissum habes, quo usus eius deterior sit fiat, restituas. item ne quid fiat immittaturve, interdicam’. 16Hoc interdictum ad publicas cloacas pertinet, ne quid ad cloacam immittas neve facias, quo usus deterior sit neve fiat.
1 Ulpianus, On the Edict, Book LXXI. The Prætor says: “I forbid force to be employed by you against anyone who has the right to repair and clean the sewer in question, which is common to his house and yours. I will order security to be furnished for the reparation of any damage which may result from the work.” 1The Prætor placed two interdicts under this title, one of which is prohibitory, and the other restitutory, and he first discusses the one which is prohibitory. 2By means of these interdicts, the Prætor provides that sewers shall be cleaned and repaired, and both of them have reference to the health and protection of cities; for the filth of the sewers threatens to render the atmosphere pestilential and ruin buildings. The same rule applies even when the sewers are not repaired. 3This interdict applies to private sewers, for those which are public demand the care of officials. 4A sewer is an excavation by means of which filth is carried away. 5The interdict first mentioned is prohibitory, and by it a neighbor is prevented from using violence to prevent a sewer from being cleaned and repaired. 6In the term “sewer” are included both the ditch and the pipe. 7For the reason that the repairing and cleaning of sewers is considered to have reference to the public welfare, it was decided that the clause, “if you have not made use of it by violence, or clandestinely, or under a precarious title,” should not be added; so that, even if anyone had used it under such circumstances, he still would not be prevented from repairing or cleaning the sewer, if he desired to do so. 8The Prætor next says, “which is common to his house and yours.” In this instance, the term “house” must be understood to signify every kind of building, just as if it had been said “to his building and yours.” Labeo goes even farther, for he thinks that there will be ground for this interdict, if there is a vacant space between the two edifices, and if, as he suggests, the sewer leads from a house in the city to adjoining land. 9Labeo also holds that anyone who desires to connect his private sewer with a public one ought to be protected against being prevented by violence. Pomponius says that if anyone desires to construct a drain which will flow into a public sewer, he should not be hindered from doing so. 10Where the Prætor says, “is common to his house and yours,” he means is directed towards, extends to, or comes as far as your house. 11This interdict also has reference to a next neighbor, as well as against others farther away, through whose houses the sewer in question runs. 12For which reason Favius Mela says that this interdict will lie to authorize anyone to enter the house of a neighbor, and take up his pavement for the purpose of cleaning the sewer. Pomponius, however, says that, in this instance, the penalty of a stipulation for the reparation of damage may be incurred; but this will not be the case if the person above mentioned is ready to replace what he was obliged to take up for the purpose of repairing the sewer. 13If anyone serves notice of a new work upon me when I am cleaning or repairing my sewer, it is very properly held that I may pay no attention to the notice, and can continue to repair what I have begun. 14The Prætor, however, promises that security shall be given against any injury which may result from defective work; for, just as permission is given to repair and clean sewers, so it must be said that no damage should be caused to the houses of others. 15The Prætor next says: “You shall restore all to its former condition, where anything has been done to a public sewer or placed in it by which its use may be interfered with. Likewise, I forbid anything to be done to the sewer, or to be thrown into it.” 16This interdict has reference to public sewers, and prohibits anything being thrown into them, or deposited in them by which their use may be injuriously affected.
2 Venuleius libro primo interdictorum. Quamquam de reficienda cloaca, non etiam de nova facienda hoc interdicto comprehendatur, tamen aeque interdicendum Labeo ait, ne facienti cloacam vis fiat, quia eadem utilitas sit: praetorem enim sic interdixisse, ne vis fieret, quo minus cloacam in publico facere liceret: idque Ofilio et Trebatio placuisse. ipse dicendum ait, ut ne factam cloacam purgare et restituere permittendum sit per interdictum, novam vero facere is demum concedere debeat, cui viarum publicarum cura sit.
2 Venuleius, Interdicts, Book I. Although the repair of existing sewers, and not the construction of new ones, is included in this interdict, Labeo says that an interdict should, nevertheless, be granted to prevent anyone from employing violence against another who builds a sewer, because the same question of public welfare is involved; as the Prætor has, by an interdict, forbidden force to be used to hinder anyone from constructing a sewer in a public place. This opinion is also adopted by Ofilius and Trebatius. Labeo also says that anyone ought, without interference, to be permitted by the interdict to clean and repair a sewer already constructed; but that the officer in charge of the public highways should grant permission to build a new one.