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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §26.2.6.pr

Interpretation of Sons and Children in Appointing Tutors

Passage 3752 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Discusses whether grandchildren are included under the designation of "sons" in the testamentary appointment of tutors, contrasting it with cases where the testator specified "children" or "posthumous ones".

[IDEM libro trigesimo nono ad Sabinum. ] §26.2.6.prQuid si nepotes sint? an appellatione filiorum et ipsis tutores dati sint, uidendum.
[THE SAME, from the thirty-ninth book on Sabinus.] What if there are grandchildren? It must be considered whether they also have had tutors appointed for them under the designation of "sons".
et magis est, ut ipsis quoque dati uideantur, si modo liberos dixit: ceterum si filios, non continebuntur: aliter enim filii, aliter nepotes appellantur.
And the better opinion is that they too are deemed to have had them appointed, provided that he used the word "children"; but if he used "sons", they will not be included; for "sons" are called by one name, and "grandchildren" by another.
plane si postumis dederit, tam filii postumi quam ceteri liberi continebuntur.
Clearly, if he has appointed them for "posthumous ones", both posthumous sons and other children will be included.

Notes

  1. §26.2.6.pran appellatione filiorum et ipsis tutores dati sint, uidendum — An indirect question introduced by 'an', with 'uidendum' representing 'uidendum est' (it must be considered) where the copula 'est' is omitted. 'dati sint' is the perfect passive subjunctive third-person plural in the dependent clause.
  2. §26.2.6.pret magis est, ut — The impersonal expression 'magis est' (it is more likely, the better opinion is) followed by an 'ut' clause with the subjunctive 'uideantur'. It is an idiomatic juridical formula indicating the prevailing or more reasonable legal opinion.
  3. §26.2.6.prsi modo liberos dixit — 'si modo' expresses a restrictive condition ('provided only that', 'if only'). It highlights the legal distinction between the broader term 'liberi' (descendants in general) and the narrower 'filii' (sons/children of the first generation), which determines the scope of the tutorship.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §26.2.6.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:26.2.6.pr

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