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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §33.5.14.pr

Effect of Manumission by Heir before Slave Option Exercise

Passage 5033 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Explains that if an heir manumits a slave before the legatee chooses, the manumission's final effect depends on whether that slave is selected, but the heir loses ownership of the slave regardless.

[IAUOLENUS libro secundo ex Cassio. ] §33.5.14.prSi, cum optio serui ex uniuersa familia legata esset, heres aliquem priusquam optaretur manumisit, ad libertatem eum interim non perducit, seruum tamen quem ita manumiserit amittit, quia is aut electus legato cedit aut relictus tunc liber ostenditur.
[IAVOLENUS, Book II from Cassius.] If, when the choice of a slave from the entire household of slaves had been bequeathed, the heir manumitted one of them before he was chosen, he does not in the meantime bring him to freedom; nevertheless, he loses the slave whom he has thus manumitted, because that slave, if chosen, goes to the legacy, or, if left unchosen, is then shown to be free.

Notes

  1. §33.5.14.prpriusquam optaretur — The imperfect subjunctive optaretur is used after priusquam ('before') to indicate that the choosing is an anticipated or prospective action that has not yet occurred.
  2. §33.5.14.prlegato cedit — Meaning 'falls to the legacy' or 'goes to the legatee'. The intransitive verb cedere with the dative legato expresses the transfer of ownership to the legacy or the legatee.
  3. §33.5.14.prrelictus — Perfect passive participle of relinquere ('to leave behind'). Here it means 'left behind' or 'not selected' in the context of exercising the option.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §33.5.14.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:33.5.14.pr

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