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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §35.1.16.pr

Equitable Interpretation Outside Testament and Strict Law

Passage 5347 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Gaius explains that while matters arising outside a testament can receive an interpretation based on equity, those arising from the testament itself must strictly be resolved according to the principles of written law.

[GAIUS libro primo de testamentis ad edictum praetoris. ] §35.1.16.prIn his, quae extra testamentum incurrerent, possunt res ex bono et aequo interpretationem capere: ea uero, quae ex ipso testamento orerentur, necesse est secundum scripti iuris rationem expediri.
[GAIUS in the first book on testaments, to the praetorian edict.] In those matters which occur outside a testament, things can receive an interpretation based on what is good and fair; however, those which arise from the testament itself must of necessity be resolved according to the principle of written law.

Notes

  1. §35.1.16.princurrerent — Imperfect subjunctive in a relative clause, characterizing a general category or a hypothetical scenario ('such matters as might occur outside a testament'). The subsequent verb 'orerentur' is used in the same manner.
  2. §35.1.16.prexpediri — A passive infinitive functioning as the core of the accusative and infinitive construction ('ea ... expediri') which serves as the subject of the impersonal expression 'necesse est'.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §35.1.16.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:35.1.16.pr

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