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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §33.6.4.pr

Heir Choice in Unspecified Legacy of Oil

Passage 5045 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This section rules that when oil is bequeathed without quality specifications, the testator's or regional customs are not considered, leaving the heir free to choose which kind of oil to deliver.

[PAULUS libro quarto ad Sabinum. ] §33.6.4.prCum certum pondus olei non adiecta qualitate legatur, non solet quaeri, cuius generis oleo uti solitus fuerit testator aut cuius generis oleum istius regionis homines in usu habeant: et ideo liberum est heredi, cuius uellet generis oleum legatario soluere.
[PAULUS libro quarto ad Sabinum.] When a certain weight of oil is bequeathed without any quality being specified, it is not customary to inquire what kind of oil the testator was accustomed to use, or what kind of oil the people of that region are in the habit of using; and therefore the heir is free to pay to the legatee oil of whatever kind he wishes.

Notes

  1. §33.6.4.prnon adiecta qualitate — An ablative absolute construction consisting of the noun qualitate (feminine singular ablative) and the perfect participle adiecta (from adicere). Combined with the negative non, it means 'without quality being added', i.e., 'without specifying the quality.'
  2. §33.6.4.proleo uti — Since the deponent verb utor (present infinitive uti) governs the ablative case, the preceding noun oleo stands in the ablative (neuter singular ablative).
  3. §33.6.4.prcuius uellet generis — uellet is the imperfect subjunctive of volo. cuius generis is a genitive of description modifying oleum. The whole phrase functions like a relative clause meaning 'of whatever kind [of oil] he (the heir) might wish', expressing the subjective freedom of choice (potential/possibility) left to the heir.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §33.6.4.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:33.6.4.pr

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