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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §34.4.6.pr-34.4.6.2

Four Methods of Transferring Legacies and Revocation

Passage 5238 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Paulus presents the four methods of transferring a legacy—changing the recipient, the debtor, the object, or adding a condition—and explains through specific cases that such transfers generally entail the revocation of the initial legacy.

[PAULUS libro quinto ad legem Iuliam et Papiam. ] §34.4.6.prTranslatio legati fit quattuor modis: aut enim a persona in personam transfertur: aut ab eo qui dare iussus est transfertur, ut alius det: aut cum res pro re datur, ut pro fundo decem aurei: aut quod pure datum est, transfertur sub condicione.
[PAULUS in the fifth book on the Lex Iulia et Papia.] The transfer of a legacy takes place in four ways: for it is either transferred from one person to another; or it is transferred from the person who was ordered to give it, so that another may give it; or when one thing is given in place of another, as ten aurei instead of land; or what was given unconditionally is transferred under a condition.
§34.4.6.1Sed si id, quod a Titio dedi, a Maeuio dem, quamuis soleant esse duo eiusdem rei debitores, tamen uerius est hoc casu ademptum esse legatum: nam cum dico: 'quod Titium dare damnaui, Seius damnas esto dare', uideor dicere, ne Titius det.
But if I should give from Maevius that which I gave from Titius, although there are usually two debtors for the same thing, nevertheless it is more correct that in this case the legacy has been revoked; for when I say, 'What I have condemned Titius to give, let Seius be condemned to give,' I seem to say that Titius is not to give.
§34.4.6.2Item si pro fundo decem legentur, quidam putant non esse ademptum prius legatum: sed uerius est ademptum esse: nouissima enim uoluntas seruatur.
Likewise, if ten (aurei) are bequeathed instead of land, some think that the prior legacy has not been revoked; but it is more correct that it has been revoked, for the latest will is preserved.

Notes

  1. §34.4.6.1a Titio dedi — The preposition "a" (ab) with the ablative ("a Titio", "a Maeuio") indicates the heir charged with the legacy (the debtor of the legacy), meaning "I bequeathed [to be given] by Titius".
  2. §34.4.6.1Seius damnas esto dare — "damnas esto" is an archaic legal formula (equivalent to "damnatus esto", where "esto" is the future imperative) used in wills to impose an obligation on the heir. The infinitive "dare" serves as its complement, meaning "let Seius be condemned to give".
  3. §34.4.6.2decem — The currency unit (aurei) is omitted here, to be understood from "decem aurei" in the preceding section (§34.4.6.pr).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §34.4.6.pr-34.4.6.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:34.4.6.pr-34.4.6.2

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