10. It has been decided not by virtue of the actual wording of the law, but by interpretation, that not only is the value of the thing perishing to be estimated as we have said, but also the loss which in any way we incur by its perishing; as, for instance, if your slave having been instituted heir by some one is killed before he enters at your command on the inheritance, the loss of the inheritance should be taken account of. So, too, if one pair of mules, or a set of four horses, or one slave of a band of comedians, is killed, account is to be taken not only of the value of the thing killed, but also of the diminished value of what remains.
11. The master of a slave who is killed may bring a private actio for the damages given by the lex Aquilia, and also bring a capital actio against the murderer.
12. The second head of the lex Aquilia is not now in use.
13. The third head provides for every kind of damage; and therefore, if a slave, or a four-footed beast, of those reckoned among cattle, is wounded, or a four-footed beast of those not reckoned among cattle, as a dog or wild beast, is wounded or killed, an actio may be brought under the third head.
Corruptum
Compensation may also be obtained under it for all wrongful injury to animals or inanimate things, and, in fact, for anything burnt, broken, or fractured, although the word broken (“ruptum”) would have sufficed for all these cases; for a thing is ruptum which in any way is spoilt (“corruptum”), so that not only things fractured or burnt, but also things cut, bruised, split, or in any way destroyed or deteriorated may be said to be rupta. It has also been decided that any one who mixes anything with the oil or wine of another, so as to spoil the goodness of the wine or oil, is liable under this head of the lex Aquilia.
14. It is evident that as a person is liable under the first head, if by wilful injury or by his fault he kills a slave or a four-footed beast, so by this head a person is liable for every other damage if there is wrongful injury or fault in what he does. But in this case the offender is bound to pay the greatest value the thing has possessed, not within the year next preceding, but the thirty days next preceding.
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