Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §31.0.14.pr-31.0.14.1

Conflict of Liberty and Legacy and Fideicommissary Freedom

Passage 4740 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

On the rules of precedence when a bequest and freedom conflict regarding the same slave, and on granting trust-bequeathed liberty when another's slave is instituted as heir.

[PAULUS libro quarto ad Uitellium. ] §31.0.14.prSi idem seruus et legatus et liber esse iussus sit, fauor libertatis praeualet: sin autem et in posteriore scriptura legatus est et euidens ademptio libertatis ostenditur, legatum propter defuncti uoluntatem pracualebit.
[PAULUS, in the fourth book to Vitellius.] If the same slave is ordered to be bequeathed and to be free, the favor of liberty prevails; but if he is bequeathed in a later writing and a clear revocation of liberty is shown, the bequest will prevail because of the will of the deceased.
§31.0.14.1Seruo alieno herede instituto post mortem domini eius cui adquisita hereditas et libertatem fideicommissariam dari posse constat.
It is established that when another's slave has been instituted as heir, even a trust-bequeathed liberty can be given after the death of that master to whom the inheritance was acquired.

Notes

  1. §31.0.14.prpracualebit — The word `pracualebit` in the text is a typographical error for `praeualebit` (future active indicative third-person singular of `praeualeo`, "to prevail"), and is translated as such.
  2. §31.0.14.1cui adquisita hereditas — The relative pronoun `cui` (dative) refers to the antecedent `eius (domini)`. This reflects the rule of Roman law that when another's slave is instituted as heir, the inheritance is acquired (using `adquirere` with a dative) by the master, not the slave.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §31.0.14.pr-31.0.14.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:31.0.14.pr-31.0.14.1

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