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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §29.2.33.pr

Acceptance When Testator's Circumstances of Death Are Doubted

Passage 4436 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Paulus argues that if the heir doubts whether the testator died among the enemy or as a Roman citizen, the acceptance of inheritance is still valid because the right to accept exists in either case and is factually possible.

[PAULUS libro duodecimo ad Plautium. ] §29.2.33.prQuod si dubitet, apud hostes decessit an ciuis Romanus, quoniam utroque casu est ius adeundi et in re est, ut possit adire, dicendum est posse adire.
[PAULUS in the twelfth book on Plautius.] But if he should doubt whether [the testator] died among the enemy or as a Roman citizen, since in either case there is a right of accepting [the inheritance] and it is in fact the case that he can accept, it must be said that he can accept.

Notes

  1. §29.2.33.prapud hostes decessit an ciuis Romanus — An indirect question depending on 'dubitet'. It means 'whether [the testator] died among the enemy (as a captive) or as a Roman citizen (either not captured or having returned).' After 'ciuis Romanus', 'decesserit' (or the indicative 'decessit') is understood. Although capture by enemies normally affected status and will validity, Roman law (specifically the fictio legis Corneliae) preserved the validity of the will in either case, hence the right of acceptance (ius adeundi) exists regardless.
  2. §29.2.33.prin re est, ut possit adire — The phrase 'in re est' means 'it is in fact the case' or 'it is in reality so.' The 'ut' clause 'ut possit adire' functions as a noun clause (or consecutive clause) explaining 'in re est', meaning 'it is a matter of fact that he can accept.'

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §29.2.33.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:29.2.33.pr

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