De lege Iulia repetundarum
(Concerning the Julian law on extortion.)
1 Marcianus libro quarto decimo institutionum. Lex Iulia repetundarum pertinet ad eas pecunias, quas quis in magistratu potestate curatione legatione vel quo alio officio munere ministeriove publico cepit, vel cum ex cohorte cuius eorum est. 1Excipit lex, a quibus licet accipere: a sobrinis propioreve gradu cognatis suis, uxore.
1 Marcianus, Institutes, Book XIV. The Julian Law on Extortion has reference to money received by someone who holds the position of magistrate, or who is invested with some degree of power, or administration, or with the office of Deputy, or any other public employment or occupation whatsoever; and also applies to the attendants of the above-mentioned dignitaries. 1The law excepts those from whom it is permitted to receive money, for instance, from cousins, from near relatives, and from a wife.
2 Scaevola libro quarto regularum. Datur ex hac lege et in heredes actio intra annum dumtaxat a morte eius qui arguebatur.
2 Scævola, Rules, Book IV. Under this law, an action is granted against heirs, but only within a year after the death of the person who was accused.
3 Macer libro primo publicorum. Lege Iulia repetundarum tenetur, qui, cum aliquam potestatem haberet, pecuniam ob iudicandum vel non iudicandum decernendumve acceperit:
3 Macer, Public Prosecutions, Book I. He is liable under the Julian Law relating to Extortion who, while invested with any authority, accepts money for rendering a judgment or decree;
4 Venuleius Saturninus libro tertio publicorum iudiciorum. vel quo magis aut minus quid ex officio suo faceret.
4 Venuleius Saturninus, Public Prosecutions, Book III. Or for doing more or less than he was obliged to do in the performance of his official duty.
5 Macer libro primo publicorum. In comites quoque iudicum ex hac lege iudicium datur.
5 Macer, Public Prosecutions, Book I. The attendants of judges can also be prosecuted under this law.
6 Venuleius Saturninus libro tertio publicorum iudiciorum. Eadem lege tenentur, qui ob denuntiandum vel non denuntiandum testimonium pecuniam acceperint. 1Hac lege damnatus testimonium publice dicere aut iudex esse postulareve prohibetur. 2Lege Iulia repetundarum cavetur, ne quis ob militem legendum mittendumve aes accipiat, neve quis ob sententiam in senatu consiliove publico dicendam pecuniam accipiat, vel ob accusandum vel non accusandum: utque urbani magistratus ob omni sorde se abstineant neve plus doni muneris in anno accipiant, quam quod sit aureorum centum.
6 Venuleius Saturninus, Public Prosecutions, Book I. Those are liable under the same law who receive money either for testifying, or for not testifying. 1He who is convicted under this law is forbidden to testify in public, or to be a judge, or to prosecute a crime. 2It is provided by the Julian Law relating to Extortion that: “No one shall take money for the purpose of enlisting or discharging a soldier, nor shall anyone accept money for giving his opinion in the Senate or in a public council, or to accuse, or not to accuse anyone; and city magistrates must abstain from all kinds of corruption, and not receive in gifts or presents more than a hundred aurei during the entire year.”
7 Macer libro primo iudiciorum publicorum. Lex Iulia de repetundis praecipit, ne quis ob iudicem arbitrumve dandum mutandum iubendumve ut iudicet: neve ob non dandum non mutandum non iubendum ut iudicet: neve ob hominem in vincula publica coiciendum vinciendum vincirive iubendum exve vinculis dimittendum: neve quis ob hominem condemnandum absolvendumve: neve ob litem aestimandam iudiciumve capitis pecuniaeve faciendum vel non faciendum aliquid acceperit. 1Apparet autem, quod lex ab exceptis quidem in infinitum capere permittit, ab his autem, qui hoc capite enumerantur, a nullo neque ullam quantitatem capere permittit. 2Illud quoque cavetur, ne in acceptum feratur opus publicum faciendum, frumentum publice dandum praebendum adpraehendendum, sarta tecta tuenda, antequam perfecta probata praestita lege erunt. 3Hodie ex lege repetundarum extra ordinem puniuntur et plerumque vel exilio puniuntur vel etiam durius, prout admiserint. quid enim, si ob hominem necandum pecuniam acceperint? vel, licet non acceperint, calore tamen inducti interfecerint vel innocentem vel quem punire non debuerant? capite plecti debent vel certe in insulam deportari, ut plerique puniti sunt.
7 Macer, Public Prosecutions, Book I. The Julian Law on Extortion prescribes that: “No one shall receive anything as an inducement to render a judgment or a decree, or for changing his opinion; or to prevent him from rendering a decision; or to throw a person into prison, or put him in chains; or order him to be chained, or delivered from his chains; or to convict or acquit a man; or to appraise the amount of a judgment; or to sentence anyone to a capital or a pecuniary penalty, or to refrain from doing so.” 1It is, however, apparent that the law permits all those, excepting such as have been excepted, to receive money without limit; but those enumerated in this Section are not allowed to receive anything from anybody. 2It is also provided: “That no public work which is to be constructed shall be accepted as completed, nor any public provisions which are to be distributed held to be transferred or obtained, nor any buildings considered as repaired, before they have been finished, accepted, and delivered according to law.” 3Persons guilty of extortion are at present arbitrarily dealt with by the law, and they are generally punished with exile, or even more severely, according to the crime which they have committed. What, however, should be done if they accept money as a reward for killing a man? Or even if they do not accept it, but, impelled by rage, they kill an innocent person, or one whom they should not punish? They should undergo a capital penalty, or be deported to an island, as indeed most of them are.
8 Paulus libro quinquagensimo quarto ad edictum. Quod contra legem repetundarum proconsuli vel praetori donatum est, non poterit usu capi. 1Eadem lex venditiones locationes eius rei causa pluris minorisve factas irritas facit impeditque usucapionem, priusquam in potestatem eius, a quo profecta res sit, heredisve eius veniat.
8 Paulus, On the Edict, Book LIV. When anything is donated to a Proconsul or a Prætor, in violation of the law on extortion, he cannot acquire it by usucaption. 1The same law provides that: “Sales or leases made for a greater or a less price than is just are for this reason void, and usucaption is prevented before the property comes into the hands of him who had it, or his heir.”
9 Papinianus libro quinto decimo responsorum. Qui munus publice mandatum accepta pecunia ruperunt, crimine repetundarum postulantur.
9 Papinianus, Opinions, Book XV. Those who, in consideration of money paid to them, relinquish a public employment, are criminally prosecuted for extortion.