Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §33.4.12.pr

Conditional Dowry Legacy and Items Perished by Use

Passage 5014 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

The case discusses whether a conditional legacy of dowry to a wife is satisfied by the delivery of only the remaining items, when some of the dotal goods had perished through normal wear and tear during the marriage.

[SCAEUOLA libro tertio responsorum. ] §33.4.12.prQui dotem in pecunia numerata et aestimatis rebus acceperat, uxori ita legauit: 'Seiae uxori meae, si omnes res, quae tabulis dotalibus contineantur, heredi meo exhibuerit et tradiderit, summam dotis, quam mihi pro ea pater eius intulit, dari uolo: hoc amplius denarios decem'. quaesitum est, cum res in dotem datae plures ipso usu finitae essent nec moriente marito fuerant, an quasi sub impossibili condicione legatum datum debeatur.
[SCAEUOLA libro tertio responsorum.] A man who had received a dowry in ready money and in estimated goods bequeathed to his wife as follows: 'To my wife Seia, if she exhibits and delivers to my heir all the things contained in the dowry tablets, I wish the amount of the dowry which her father brought to me on her behalf to be given; in addition to this, ten denarii.' The question was raised, since many of the things given as dowry had been consumed by actual use and did not exist when the husband died, whether the legacy was due as if given under an impossible condition.
respondi uideri condicioni paritum, si quod ex rebus in dotem datis supererat, in potestatem heredis peruenit.
I answered that it seems that the condition has been complied with, if whatever remained of the things given as dowry came into the power of the heir.

Notes

  1. §33.4.12.prcondicioni paritum — The verb `pareo` (to obey, comply with) is an intransitive verb governing the dative. In the passive voice, it is used impersonally (here as a perfect passive infinitive `paritum [esse]`, with `esse` omitted). Thus, combined with the dative `condicioni`, it means 'that the condition has been complied with'.
  2. §33.4.12.prquasi sub impossibili condicione — In Roman law (specifically the Sabinian doctrine), an impossible condition attached to a legacy was treated as unwritten (pro non scripto), making the legacy unconditionally valid. Here, the query is whether the 'impossible condition' of delivering items already consumed by use makes the legacy unconditionally due, or if delivering what remains counts as satisfying the condition.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §33.4.12.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:33.4.12.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.