[ULPIANUS libro uicesimo tertio ad Sabinum. ] §34.3.3.prLiberationem debitori posse legari iam certum est.
[ULPIANUS in the twenty-third book on Sabinus.] It is already settled that a release can be bequeathed to a debtor.
§34.3.3.1Sed et si chirographum quis decedens debitori suo dederit, exceptionem ei competere puto, quasi pro fideicommisso huiusmodi datione ualitura.
But even if someone, upon dying, gives the debt-note to his debtor, I think that a defense is available to the debtor, as if such a delivery were to have effect as a trust.
§34.3.3.2Iulianus etiam libro quadragesimo digestorum scripsit: si quis decedens chirographum Seii Titio dederit, ut post mortem suam Seio det aut, si conualuisset, sibi redderet, deinde Titius defuncto donatore Seio dederit et heres eius petat debitum, Seius doli exceptionem habet.
Julian also wrote in the fortieth book of his Digests: if someone, upon dying, gave Seius’s debt-note to Titius, so that he should give it to Seius after his death, or, if he recovered, return it to himself; and then Titius, after the donor's death, gave it to Seius, and the donor's heir claims the debt, Seius has a defense of fraud.
§34.3.3.3Nunc de effectu legati uideamus.
Now let us look at the effect of the bequest.
et si quidem mihi liberatio sit relicta, cum solus sim debitor, sine a me petatur, exceptione uti possum, siue non petatur, possum agere, ut liberer per acceptilationem.
And indeed, if a release is bequeathed to me, when I am the sole debtor, whether a claim is made against me, I can use a defense, or if no claim is made, I can bring an action to be released by acceptilation.
sed et si cum alio sim debitor, puta duo rei fuimus promittendi, et mihi soli testator consultum uoluit, agendo consequar, non ut accepto liberer, ne etiam conreus meus liberetur contra testatoris uoluntatem, sed pacto liberabor.
But also if I am a debtor together with another, for example if we were two co-promisors, and the testator wished to consult the interest of myself alone, I shall achieve by action, not that I am released by acceptilation, lest my co-debtor also be released against the testator's will, but I shall be released by a pact.
sed quid si socii fuimus? uideamus, ne per acceptilationem debeam liberari: alioquin, dum a conreo meo petitur, ego inquietor.
But what if we were partners? Let us consider whether I ought to be released by acceptilation; otherwise, while a claim is made against my co-debtor, I am harassed.
et ita Iulianus libro trigesimo secundo digestorum scripsit, si quidem socii non simus, pacto me debere liberari, si socii, per acceptilationem.
And thus Julian wrote in the thirty-second book of his Digests, that if indeed we are not partners, I ought to be released by a pact, but if we are partners, by acceptilation.
§34.3.3.4Consequenter quaeritur, an et ille socius pro legatario habeatur, cuius nomen in testamento scriptum non est, licet commodum ex testamento ad utrumque pertineat, si socii sunt.
Consequently, the question is asked whether that partner whose name is not written in the will is also to be regarded as a legatee, although the benefit from the will belongs to both, if they are partners.
et est uerum non solum eum, cuius nomen in testamento scriptum est, legatarium habendum, uerum eum quoque, qui non est scriptus, si et eius contemplatione liberatio relicta esset.
And it is true that not only he whose name is written in the will is to be regarded as a legatee, but also he who is not written, if the release had been bequeathed in contemplation of him as well.
§34.3.3.5Utrique autem legatarii habentur et in hoc casu.
Moreover, both are regarded as legatees in this case as well.
nam et si quod ego debeo Titio sit ei legatum mei gratia, ut ego liberer, nemo me negabit legatarium, ut et Iulianus eodem libro scribit.
For even if what I owe to Titius is bequeathed to him for my sake, so that I may be released, no one will deny that I am a legatee, as Julian also writes in the same book.
et Marcellus notat utriusque legatum esse tam meum quam creditoris mei, etsi soluendo fuero: interesse enim creditoris duos reos habere.
And Marcellus notes that it is a bequest of both, as much mine as my creditor's, even if I should be solvent; for it is to the interest of the creditor to have two debtors.