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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §23.1.2.pr

Etymology of Betrothal and Ancient Stipulation Custom

Passage 3290 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian explains that the word for betrothal (sponsalia) originates from promising (spondere), noting that in ancient times it was customary to formally contract and promise one's future wife.

[ULPIANUS libro singulari de sponsalibus. ] §23.1.2.prSponsalia autem dicta sunt a spondendo: nam moris fuit ueteribus stipulari et spondere sibi uxores futuras,
[ULPIANUS, in his single book on Betrothals.] Moreover, betrothal is so called from promising; for it was the custom of the ancients to stipulate and promise for themselves their future wives,

Notes

  1. §23.1.2.pra spondendo — The ablative of the gerund of the verb spondeo (to promise), used with the preposition a to indicate the etymological origin of the word sponsalia (betrothal).
  2. §23.1.2.prmoris fuit ueteribus — moris is the genitive of mos (custom), used predicatively to mean "it was the custom". ueteribus is the dative plural of uetus (ancient) used substantively ("for the ancients"). The subject of fuit is the following infinitive clause (stipulari et spondere).
  3. §23.1.2.prstipulari et spondere — Formal legal actions of the Roman verbal contract (stipulatio). stipulari refers to asking for a promise (acting as the creditor), while spondere refers to making the promise (acting as the debtor). Together they represent the reciprocal process of establishing a betrothal.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §23.1.2.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:23.1.2.pr

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