Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §25.4.4.pr

Inspection of the Widow's Womb by a Fideicommissary

Passage 3720 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

In a case where the vesting of a fideicommissum depends on the existence of posthumous children, a question is raised whether the beneficiary should be allowed to inspect the womb when the widow claims pregnancy; it is answered that the matter should be determined after a hearing, considering the beneficiary's concern.

[SCAEUOLA libro uicesimo digestorum. ] §25.4.4.prIs a quo, si sine liberis decessisset, quidquid ad eum ex bonis peruenisset, sorori fideicommissum relictum erat, decessit postuma herede instituta et substitutis aliis: quaesitum est, cum uxor defuncti praegnatem se dicat, an sorori procuratoriue eius secundum formam edicti uentrem inspicere et partum custodire permittendum sit.
[SCAEVOLA, Digests, Book 20] A man, who was charged with a fideicommissum that, if he died without children, whatever came to him from the estate should be left to his sister, died after instituting a posthumous daughter as his heir and substituting others. Since the wife of the deceased claims that she is pregnant, the question was raised whether the sister or her procurator should be permitted, according to the form of the edict, to inspect the womb and guard the birth.
respondi in eiusmodi specie, de qua quaereretur, posse uideri ad eius, cui fideicommissum datum esset, sollicitudinem perspiciendum idque causa cognita statuendum.
I replied that, in a case of this kind concerning which the inquiry was made, it could seem that the matter ought to be inspected in view of the concern of the person to whom the fideicommissum had been given, and that this should be determined after taking cognizance of the cause.

Notes

  1. §25.4.4.prIs a quo — The phrase a quo means 'from whom', referring to the heir who is burdened with the fideicommissum. The pronoun Is is the subject of the main verb decessit, modified by the relative clause starting with a quo.
  2. §25.4.4.prposse uideri ad eius ... sollicitudinem perspiciendum — An accusative-with-infinitive construction subordinate to posse uideri, where the subject (referring to the inspection of the womb and guarding of the birth) is omitted. perspiciendum [esse] functions as the predicate, and ad ... sollicitudinem means 'with regard to / in view of the concern of the person to whom the fideicommissum was given'.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §25.4.4.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:25.4.4.pr

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.