[POMPONIUS libro secundo ad Quintum Mucium. ] §28.3.16.prCum in secundo testamento heredem eum qui uiuit instituimus siue pure siue sub condicione (si tamen condicio existere potuit, licet non exstiterit), superius testamentum erit ruptum.
[POMPONIUS, Commentary on Quintus Mucius, Book 2.] When in a second testament we appoint a person who is alive as heir, whether unconditionally or under a condition (provided, however, that the condition was capable of being fulfilled, even if it has not been fulfilled), the prior testament will be revoked.
multum autem interest, qualis condicio posita fuerit: nam aut in praeteritum concepta ponitur aut in praesens aut in futurum.
However, it makes a great difference what kind of condition has been set; for it is set either with reference to the past, or to the present, or to the future.
in praeteritum concepta ponitur ueluti 'si Titius consul fuit': quae condicio si uera est, id est si Titius consul fuit, ita est institutus heres, ut superius testamentum rumpatur: tum enim ex hoc heres esset.
A condition set with reference to the past is, for example, "if Titius was consul." If this condition is true, that is, if Titius was consul, he has been appointed heir in such a way that the prior testament is revoked; for in that case, he would be the heir under this testament.
si uero Titius consul non fuit, superius testamentum non est ruptum.
But if Titius was not consul, the prior testament is not revoked.
quod si ad praesens tempus condicio adscripta est herede instituto, ueluti 'si Titius consul est', eundem exitum habet, ut, si sit, possit heres esse et superius testamentum rumpatur, si non sit, nec possit heres esse nec superius testamentum rumpatur.
If, however, when the heir is appointed, a condition is added with reference to the present time, such as "if Titius is consul," it has the same outcome: if he is, he can be the heir and the prior testament is revoked; if he is not, he can neither be the heir nor is the prior testament revoked.
in futurum autem collatae condiciones si possibiles sunt existere potuerunt, licet non exstiterint, efficiunt, ut superius testamentum rumpatur, etiamsi non extiterint: si uero impossibiles sunt, ueluti 'Titius si digito caelum tetigerit, heres esto', placet perinde esse, quasi condicio adscripta non sit, quae est impossibilis.
On the other hand, conditions directed to the future, if they are possible and could have been fulfilled, even if they have not been fulfilled, bring it about that the prior testament is revoked, even if they have not been fulfilled. But if they are impossible, such as "If Titius touches the sky with his finger, let him be heir," it is held that it is just as if the condition, which is impossible, had not been added.