distinction — Decretum of Gratian
Distinction VII
GRATIAN. Part I. Positive law began from the judgments that the Lord handed down to Moses, saying: “If you buy a Hebrew servant,” etc. Hence Isidore says in Book V of the Etymologies [c. 1]:
GRATIANUS. I. Pars. Ius autem constitutionis cepit a iustificationibus, quas Dominus tradidit Moisi dicens: "Si emeris seruum ebreum etc." Unde Ysidorus in libro V. Ethimologiarum [c. 1.] ait:
Friedberg, col. 11/12
C. I. On the founders of laws.
Moses, of the Hebrew people, first of all men set forth the divine laws in sacred writings. King Phoroneus first established laws and judgments for the Greeks. Mercury Trismegistus first handed down laws to the Egyptians. Solon first published laws for the Athenians. Lycurgus first devised laws for the Lacedaemonians by the authority of Apollo. Numa Pompilius, who succeeded Romulus in the kingdom, first published laws for the Romans. Then, when the people could not endure seditious magistrates, they created decemvirs to write the laws; these set out on twelve tables laws translated into Latin from the books of Solon.
C. I. De conditoribus legum.
Moises gentis Hebreae primus omnium diuinas leges sacris literis explicauit. Foroneus rex Grecis primus leges iudiciaque constituit. Mercurius Trismegistus primus leges Egiptiis tradidit. Solon primus leges Atheniensibus edidit. Licurgus primus Lacedemoniis iura ex Apollinis auctoritate confinxit. Numa Pompilius, qui Romulo successit in regno, primus leges Romanis edidit. Deinde cum populus seditiosos magistratus ferre non posset, decemuiros legibus scribendis creauit, qui leges ex libris Solonis in latinum sermonem translatas XII. tabulis exposuerunt.
Friedberg, col. 11/12
C. II. The names of those who set out the laws of the Twelve Tables.
[Isidore, continuing in the same place.] These were Appius Claudius, Genucius, Sextius, Veturius, Julius, Manlius, Sulpicius, Curiatius, Romilius, and Postumius. These decemvirs were chosen to write the laws. The consul Pompey was the first who wished to undertake to arrange the laws in books, but he did not persevere because of fear of detractors. Caesar next began to do it, but was killed before it was done. Little by little the ancient laws became obsolete through age and neglect; although there is now no use of them, knowledge of them nevertheless appears necessary. New laws began with Caesar Constantine and the others succeeding him, and they were mixed and disordered. Afterward Theodosius the Younger, Augustus, made a code of enactments after the likeness of the Gregorian and Hermogenian Codes and arranged them from the times of Constantine under the title of each emperor; he called it Theodosian from his own name.
C. II. Nomina eorum, qui leges XII. tabularum exposuerunt.
[Isidor. ibidem continenter.] Fuerunt autem hi App. Claudius, Genutius, Sextius, Veturius, Iulius, Manlius, Sulpitius, Curiatius, Romilius, Posthumius. Hi decemuiri legum conscribendarum electi sunt. Leges autem redigere in libris primus consul Pompeius instituere uoluit, sed non perseuerauit obtrectatorum metu. Deinde Cesar cepit id facere, sed ante interfectus est. Paulatim autem antiquae leges uetustate atque incuria obsoleuerunt, quarum etsi iam nullus est usus, notitia tamen necessaria uidetur. Nouae a Constantino Cesare ceperunt et reliquis succedentibus, erantque permixtae et inordinatae. Postea Theodosius minor Augustus ad similitudinem Gregoriani et Ermogeniani codicem factum constitutionum a Constantini temporibus sub proprio cuiusque imperatoris titulo disposuit, quem a suo nomine Theodosianum uocauit.
Friedberg, col. 11/12