Ad legem Corneliam de siccariis et veneficis
(Concerning the Cornelian law relating to assassins and poisoners.)
1 Marcianus libro quarto decimo institutionum. Lege Cornelia de sicariis et veneficis tenetur, qui hominem occiderit: cuiusve dolo malo incendium factum erit: quive hominis occidendi furtive faciendi causa cum telo ambulaverit: quive, cum magistratus esset publicove iudicio praeesset, operam dedisset, quo quis falsum iudicium profiteretur, ut quis innocens conveniretur condemnaretur. 1Praeterea tenetur, qui hominis necandi causa venenum confecerit dederit: quive falsum testimonium dolo malo dixerit, quo quis publico iudicio rei capitalis damnaretur: quive magistratus iudexve quaestionis ob capitalem causam pecuniam acceperit ut publica lege reus fieret. 2Et qui hominem occiderit, punitur non habita differentia, cuius condicionis hominem interemit. 3Divus Hadrianus rescripsit eum, qui hominem occidit, si non occidendi animo hoc admisit, absolvi posse, et qui hominem non occidit, sed vulneravit, ut occidat, pro homicida damnandum: et ex re constituendum hoc: nam si gladium strinxerit et in eo percusserit, indubitate occidendi animo id eum admisisse: sed si clavi percussit aut cuccuma in rixa, quamvis ferro percusserit, tamen non occidendi animo. leniendam poenam eius, qui in rixa casu magis quam voluntate homicidium admisit. 4Item divus Hadrianus rescripsit eum, qui stuprum sibi vel suis per vim inferentem occidit, dimittendum. 5Sed et in eum, qui uxorem deprehensam in adulterio occidit, divus Pius leviorem poenam irrogandam esse scripsit, et humiliore loco positum in exilium perpetuum dari iussit, in aliqua dignitate positum ad tempus relegari.
1 Marcianus, Institutes, Book XIV. Under the Cornelian Law relating to Assassins and Poisoners, anyone who kills a man; or through whose malice a fire has originated; or who has gone about armed for the purpose of killing someone or committing theft; or who, being a magistrate, or presiding in a criminal case, enables false testimony to be given by which an innocent person may be prosecuted, or convicted, is liable. 1He also is liable who prepares poison, and administers it for the purpose of killing a man; or who, with malicious intent gives false testimony, by means of which anyone may be sentenced to death in a criminal prosecution; or any magistrate or judge who accepts money in consideration of causing someone to be accused of a crime. 2Anyone who has committed homicide is punished without taking into account the legal condition of the person who was killed. 3The Divine Hadrian stated in a Rescript that anyone who killed a man, without the intention of doing so, could be acquitted; and that anyone who did not kill a man, but wounded him for the purpose of killing him, should be convicted of homicide; and that the decision should be rendered according to the circumstances of the case, for if the aggressor drew a sword and struck him with it, there is no doubt of his having done this with the intention of killing him. Where, however, during a quarrel, he struck him with a spike, or a brass vessel used in a bath, although the article employed was of metal, still the attack was not made with the intention of killing him; and the penalty imposed upon one who in a quarrel committed homicide rather accidentally than intentionally, should be mitigated. 4The Divine Hadrian also stated in a Rescript that he who killed anyone who was forcibly attempting to commit an act of debauchery with himself, or with those belonging to him, should be discharged. 5But with regard to a husband who kills his wife surprised in the act of adultery, the Divine Pius stated in a Rescript that a lighter penalty should be inflicted upon him; and he ordered that anyone of inferior rank should be sent into perpetual exile, and that a person of distinguished position should be relegated for a certain time.
2 Ulpianus libro primo de adulteris. Inauditum filium pater occidere non potest, sed accusare eum apud praefectum praesidemve provinciae debet.
2 Ulpianus, On Adultery, Book I. A father cannot kill his son without his having been heard; but he should accuse him before the Prefect or the Governor of the province.
3 Marcianus libro quarto decimo institutionum. Eiusdem legis Corneliae de sicariis et veneficis capite quinto, qui venenum necandi hominis causa fecerit vel vendiderit vel habuerit, plectitur. 1Eiusdem legis poena adficitur, qui in publicum mala medicamenta vendiderit vel hominis necandi causa habuerit. 2Adiectio autem ista ‘veneni mali’ ostendit esse quaedam et non mala venena. ergo nomen medium est et tam id, quod ad sanandum, quam id, quod ad occidendum paratum est, continet, sed et id quod amatorium appellatur: sed hoc solum notatur in ea lege, quod hominis necandi causa habet. sed ex senatus consulto relegari iussa est ea, quae non quidem malo animo, sed malo exemplo medicamentum ad conceptionem dedit, ex quo ea quae acceperat decesserit. 3Alio senatus consulto effectum est, ut pigmentarii, si cui temere cicutam salamandram aconitum pituocampas aut bubrostim mandragoram et id, quod lustramenti causa dederit cantharidas, poena teneantur huius legis. 4Item is, cuius familia sciente eo apiscendae reciperandae possessionis causa arma sumpserit: item qui auctor seditionis fuerit: et qui naufragium suppresserit: et qui falsa indicia confessus fuerit confitendave curaverit, quo quis innocens circumveniretur: et qui hominem libidinis vel promercii causa castraverit, ex senatus consulto poena legis Corneliae punitur. 5Legis Corneliae de sicariis et veneficis poena insulae deportatio est et omnium bonorum ademptio. sed solent hodie capite puniri, nisi honestiore loco positi fuerint, ut poenam legis sustineant: humiliores enim solent vel bestiis subici, altiores vero deportantur in insulam. 6Transfugas licet, ubicumque inventi fuerint, quasi hostes interficere.
3 Marcianus, Institutes, Book XIV. Anyone who has prepared poison, or sells it, or keeps it for the purpose of killing human beings, is punished by the Fifth Section of the same Cornelian Law relating to Assassins and Poisoners. 1The penalty of this law is imposed upon any one who publicly sells injurious poisons or keeps them for the purpose of homicide. 2The expression “injurious poisons” shows that there are certain poisons which are not injurious. Therefore the term is an ambiguous one, and includes what can be used for curing disease as well as for causing death. There also are preparations called love philtres. These, however, are only forbidden by this law where they are designed to kill people. A woman was ordered by a decree of the Senate to be banished, who, not with malicious intent, but offering a bad example, administered for the purpose of producing conception a drug which, having been taken, caused death. 3It is provided by another Decree of the Senate that dealers in ointments who rashly sell hemlock, salamander, aconite, pine-cones, bu-prestis, mandragora, and give cantharides as a purgative, are liable to the penalty of this law. 4Likewise, he whose slaves, with his knowledge, have taken up arms for the purpose of obtaining or recovering the possession of property; or one who is the promoter of sedition; or who has appropriated shipwrecked merchandise; or who has represented matters which are false to be true, that an innocent person might be deceived; or who has caused this to be done; or who has castrated a man on account of debauchery, or in order to sell him, is, under the Decree of the Senate, subjected to the penalty of the Cornelian Law. 5The penalty of the Cornelian Law relating to Assassins and Poisoners is deportation to an island and the confiscation of all property. It is, however, at present customary to inflict capital punishment, unless the parties in question occupy such a high position that they are not amenable to the law. It is customary for persons of inferior rank to be thrown to wild beasts, and for those higher in the social scale to be deported to an island. 6It is permitted to kill deserters, just as if they were enemies, wherever they may be found.
4 Ulpianus libro septimo de officio proconsulis. Lege Cornelia de sicariis tenetur, qui, cum in magistratu est esset, eorum quid fecerit contra hominis necem, quod legibus permissum non sit. 1Cum quidam per lasciviam causam mortis praebuisset, comprobatum est factum ignatii taurini proconsulis baeticae a divo Hadriano, quod eum in quinquennium relegasset. 2Idem divus Hadrianus rescripsit: ‘Constitutum quidem est, ne spadones fierent, eos autem, qui hoc crimine arguerentur, Corneliae legis poena teneri eorumque bona merito fisco meo vindicari debere, sed et in servos, qui spadones fecerint, ultimo supplicio animadvertendum esse: et qui hoc crimine tenentur, si non adfuerint, de absentibus quoque, tamquam lege Cornelia teneantur, pronuntiandum esse. plane si ipsi, qui hanc iniuriam passi sunt, proclamaverint, audire eos praeses provinciae debet, qui virilitatem amiserunt: nemo enim liberum servumve invitum sinentemve castrare debet, neve quis se sponte castrandum praebere debet. at si quis adversus edictum meum fecerit, medico quidem, qui exciderit, capitale erit, item ipsi qui se sponte excidendum praebuit’.
4 Ulpianus, On the Duties of Proconsul, Book VII. He is liable under the Cornelian Law relating to Assassins who, while occupying the position of magistrate, commits some act involving the life of a man which is not authorized by law. 1When a man, through mere wantonness, causes the death of another, the decision of Ignatius Taurinus, Proconsul of Bsetica, who relegated the guilty party for a term of five years, was confirmed by the Divine Hadrian. 2The Divine Hadrian also stated the following in a Rescript: “It is forbidden by the Imperial Constitutions that eunuchs should be made, and they provide that persons who are convicted of this crime are liable to the penalty of the Cornelian Law, and that their property shall with good reason be confiscated by the Treasury. “But with reference to slaves who have made eunuchs, they should be punished capitally, and those who are liable to this public crime and do not appear, shall, even when absent, be sentenced under the Cornelian Law. It is clear that if persons who have suffered this injury demand justice, the Governor of the province should hear those who have lost their virility; for no one has a right to castrate a freeman or a slave, either against his consent or with it, and no one can voluntarily offer himself to be castrated. If anyone should violate my Edict, the physician who performed the operation shall be punished with death, as well as anyone who willingly offered himself for emasculation.”
5 Paulus libro secundo de officio proconsulis. Hi quoque, qui thlibias faciunt, ex constitutione divi Hadriani ad Ninnium Hastam in eadem causa sunt, qua hi qui castrant.
5 Paulus, On the Duties of Proconsul, Book II. Those also who render persons impotent are, by a Constitution of the Divine Hadrian addressed to Ninius Hasta, placed in the same class with those who perform castration.
6 Venuleius Saturninus libro primo de officio proconsulis. Is, qui servum castrandum tradiderit, pro parte dimidia bonorum multatur ex senatus consulto, quod Neratio Prisco et Annio Vero consulibus factum est.
6 Venuleius Saturninus, On the Duties of Proconsul, Book I. He who delivers a slave to be castrated shall be punished by a fine of half his property, under a decree of the Senate enacted during the Consulate of Neratius Priscus and Annius Verus.
7 Paulus libro singulari de publicis iudiciis. In lege Cornelia dolus pro facto accipitur. neque in hac lege culpa lata pro dolo accipitur. quare si quis alto se praecipitaverit et super alium venerit eumque occiderit, aut putator, ex arbore cum ramum deiceret, non praeclamaverit et praetereuntem occiderit, ad huius legis coercitionem non pertinet.
7 Paulus, On Public Prosecutions. Under the Cornelian Law, the degree of fraud depends upon the act, but by this law gross negligence is not considered fraud. Wherefore, if anyone precipitates himself from a height and falls upon another and kills him, or if a man trimming trees throwns down a branch and does not give warning, but kills a passer-by, he will not be liable to punishment under this law.
8 Ulpianus libro trigensimo tertio ad edictum. Si mulierem visceribus suis vim intulisse, quo partum abigeret, constiterit, eam in exilium praeses provinciae exiget.
8 Ulpianus, On the Edict, Book XXXIII. If it should be proved that a woman has employed force upon her abdomen for the purpose of producing abortion, the Governor of the province shall send her into exile.
9 Idem libro trigensimo septimo ad edictum. Furem nocturnum si quis occiderit, ita demum impune feret, si parcere ei sine periculo suo non potuit.
9 The Same, On the Edict, Book XVIII. If anyone kills a thief at night, he can only do so with impunity, when he could not have spared him without placing himself in jeopardy.
10 Idem libro octavo decimo ad edictum. Si quis dolo insulam meam exusserit, capitis poena plectetur quasi incendiarius.
10 The Same, On the Edict, Book XVIII. If anyone should maliciously burn my house, he shall suffer capital punishment as an incendiary.
11 Modestinus libro sexto regularum. Circumcidere iudaeis filios suos tantum rescripto divi Pii permittitur: in non eiusdem religionis qui hoc fecerit, castrantis poena irrogatur. 1Servo sine iudice ad bestias dato non solum qui vendidit poena, verum et qui comparavit tenebitur. 2Post legem Petroniam et senatus consulta ad eam legem pertinentia dominis potestas ablata est ad bestias depugnandas suo arbitrio servos tradere: oblato tamen iudici servo, si iusta sit domini querella, sic poenae tradetur.
11 Modestinus, Rules, Book VI. By a Rescript of the Divine Pius, Jews are permitted to circumcise only their own children, and anyone who performs this operation upon persons of a different religion will incur the penalty for castration. 1If a slave, without having been sentenced, is thrown to wild beasts, not only he who sold him, but also he who purchased him will be liable to punishment. 2Since the passage of the Petronian Law and the Decrees of the Senate having reference to it, masters are deprived of the power of giving up their slaves, whenever they please, for the purpose of fighting wild beasts. A master, however, can produce his slave in court, and if his complaint is well founded, the slave can be subjected to the penalty,
12 Idem libro octavo regularum. Infans vel furiosus si hominem occiderint, lege Cornelia non tenentur, cum alterum innocentia consilii tuetur, alterum fati infelicitas excusat.
12 The Same, Rules, Book VIII. When an infant or an insane person commits homicide, he is not liable under the Cornelian Law; for absence of intention protects the one, and his unhappy fate excuses the other.
13 Idem libro duodecimo pandectarum. Ex senatus consulto eius legis poena damnari iubetur, qui mala sacrificia fecerit habuerit.
13 The Same, Pandects, Book XII. By a decree of the Senate it is ordered that anyone who offers sacrifices for the purpose of causing misfortune shall be subjected to the penalty of this law.
14 Callistratus libro sexto de cognitionibus. Divus Hadrianus in haec verba rescripsit: ‘in maleficiis voluntas spectatur, non exitus’.
14 Callistratus, On Judicial Inquiries, Book VI. The Divine Hadrian stated the following in a Rescript: “In the perpetration of crime, the intention, and not the event, is considered.”
15 Ulpianus libro octavo ad legem Iuliam et Papiam. Nihil interest, occidat quis an causam mortis praebeat.
15 Ulpianus, On the Lex Julia et Papia, Book VIII. It makes no difference whether one actually kills another, or is merely the cause of his death.
16 Modestinus libro tertio de poenis. Qui caedem admiserunt sponte dolove malo, in honore aliquo positi deportari solent, qui secundo gradu sunt, capite puniuntur. facilius hoc in decuriones fieri potest, sic tamen, ut consulto prius principe et iubente id fiat: nisi forte tumultus aliter sedari non possit.
16 Modestinus, On Punishments, Book III. Those who voluntarily or maliciously commit murder are usually deported, if they are of high rank; but if they are of inferior station they are punished with death. This, however, is more excusable in decurions, where they have previously consulted the Emperor, and acted by his order; unless the tumult could not otherwise have been suppressed.
17 Paulus libro quinto sententiarum. Si in rixa percussus homo perierit, ictus unius cuiusque in hoc collectorum contemplari oportet.
17 Paulus, Sentences, Book V. If a man after having been struck in a quarrel dies, the blow given by each of the persons assembled should be investigated.