- Source
- Digesta Iustiniani Augusti. Mommsen, Theodor & Krueger, Paul, editors. Berlin: Weidmann, 1870.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:5.2.6.pr-5.2.6.2
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-11
The passage discusses the standing of posthumous children and children born by Caesarean section to bring an action on an inofficious testament, the effect of victory by someone without intestate succession rights, and the transmission of the action to the heir of a deceased accuser.
[ULPIANUS libro quarto decimo ad edictum.]
[ULPIANUS, On the Edict, Book 14]
Postumus inofficiosum testamentum potest dicere eorum, quibus suus heres uel legitimus potuisset fieri,1 si in utero fuerit mortis eorum tempore: sed et cognatorum, quia et horum ab intestato potuit bonorum possessionem accipere. quid ergo? eis imputatur cur intestati non decesserant? sed hoc nemo apud iudicem potest impetrare: non enim interdicitur testamenti factione. hoc plane ei imputare potest, cur eum heredem non scripserit: potuit enim scriptus2 heres in possessionem mitti ex clausula de uentre in possessionem mittendo: item natus secundum tabulas haberet.3 simili modo et eum, qui post testamentum matris factum exsecto uentre extractus est, posse queri dico.
A posthumous child can declare the testament to be inofficious of those whose self-successor (suus heres) or statutory heir (legitimus heres) he could have become, if he was in the womb at the time of their death; but also that of cognates, since he could also receive possession of goods (bonorum possessio) from them on intestacy. What then? Is it imputed to them why they did not die intestate? But no one can obtain this before a judge, for the making of a testament is not forbidden. This, clearly, can be imputed to him, why he did not write him as heir; for if designated as heir, he could have been put into possession under the clause ‘on putting the womb into possession’ (de uentre in possessionem mittendo); likewise, once born, he would hold according to the tablets. In like manner, I say that he too who was extracted by Caesarean section (exsecto uentre) after his mother’s testament was made can complain.
Si quis ex his personis, quae ad successionem ab intestato non admittuntur, de inofficioso egerit (nemo enim eum repellit) et casu optinuerit, non ei prosit uictoria, sed his qui habent ab intestato successionem: nam intestatum patrem familias facit.
If anyone among those persons who are not admitted to succession on intestacy should bring an action concerning an inofficious testament (for no one rejects him) and should happen to prevail, the victory would not benefit him, but those who have succession on intestacy; for it makes the paterfamilias intestate.
Si quis instituta accusatione inofficiosi decesserit, an ad heredem suum querellam transferat? Papinianus respondit, quod et quibusdam rescriptis significatur,4 si post adgnitam bonorum possessionem decesserit, esse successionem accusationis. et si non sit petita bonorum possessio, iam tamen coepta controuersia uel praeparata, uel si cum uenit ad mouendam inofficiosi querellam decessit, puto ad heredem transire.
If anyone dies after instituting an accusation of an inofficious testament, does he transfer the complaint to his heir? Papinian answered, which is also indicated in certain rescripts, that if he dies after the acknowledgement of the possession of goods, there is a succession to the accusation. And even if the possession of goods has not been requested, yet if the dispute has already been commenced or prepared, or if he dies when he comes to bring the complaint of an inofficious testament, I think it transfers to the heir.
- 5.2.6.preorum, quibus suus heres uel legitimus potuisset fieri
The antecedent eorum modifies testamentum, while quibus is a dative complement of heres fieri ('to become an heir to whom'). potuisset is a pluperfect subjunctive, representing the apodosis of a past conditional (contrary-to-fact) in connection with the si-clause.
- 5.2.6.prscriptus
The perfect participle scriptus contains a conditional force ('if he had been designated as heir') within the apodosis, functioning virtually equivalent to si scriptus esset.
- 5.2.6.prnatus secundum tabulas haberet
natus is a perfect participle expressing time or condition ('when/if born'). haberet is an imperfect subjunctive expressing a potential or hypothetical result in the past ('would have held'), with the omitted direct object being bonorum possessionem or hereditatem (the inheritance).
- 5.2.6.2quod et quibusdam rescriptis significatur
The antecedent of the relative pronoun quod is the entire content of the subsequent accusative with infinitive clause (si... decesserit, esse successionem...). It functions as a parenthetical clause meaning 'which is also indicated...'.