[MAECIANUS libro octauo fideicommissorum. ] §35.2.30.prIn ratione legis Falcidiae mortes seruorum ceterorumque animalium, furta, rapinae, incendia, ruinae, naufragia, uis hostium praedonum latronum, debitorum facta peiora nomina, in summa quodcumque damnum, si modo culpa legatarii careant, heredi pereunt: quemadmodum ad heredis lucrum pertinent fructus, partus ancillarum et quae per seruos adquisita sunt, ut stipulationes, rerum traditiones, legata hereditatesue his datae, ceterae donationes, item seruitutes, quibus liberata praedia pretiosiora fierent, actionesque adquisitae, ut furti damni iniuriae similesque, quorum nihil in rationem legis Falcidiae cadit.
[MAECIANUS, in his eighth book on Trusts.] In the calculation of the Lex Falcidia, the deaths of slaves and other animals, thefts, robberies, fires, ruins, shipwrecks, the violence of enemies, pirates, and robbers, the deterioration of the claims against debtors—in short, any loss whatsoever—provided only that there is no fault on the part of the legatee, perish to the loss of the heir; just as the fruits, the offspring of female slaves, and what is acquired through slaves, such as stipulations, transfers of property, legacies or inheritances given to them, other donations, likewise servitudes by which the estates freed from them would become more valuable, and acquired actions, such as those for theft, damage, injury, and the like, belong to the gain of the heir, none of which fall into the calculation of the Lex Falcidia.
§35.2.30.1Uendere autem uel emere iussus certo pretio fundum aliamue quampiam rem in legis Falcidiae ratione, cum quantum sit legatum requiratur, tantum eo nomine inducetur, quanto pluris minorisue sit res ea quantitate, quam quo pretio testator accipi dariue iussit, sed ut ei quidem portioni, quae legatis deductis facienda erit, amplius deducetur³: quippe non nostri causa capi id pretium, sed eo deducto pretium reliquum legatum esse intellectum est.
But when one is ordered to sell or buy a land or any other thing at a certain price, in the calculation of the Lex Falcidia, since it is asked how much the legacy is, only so much will be entered under that head as the value of the thing is greater or less than the price at which the testator ordered it to be received or given; but so that for that portion indeed which will have to be made after deducting the legacies, a larger amount will be deducted: since it is understood that this price is not taken for our sake, but that, after deducting it, the remaining price has been bequeathed.
§35.2.30.2Prorsus diligenter animaduertendum est ne quod dicitur damna post mortem testatoris illata ad solum heredem respicere usque quaque et sine ulla distinctione recipiatur.
It must indeed be carefully observed that the saying that losses suffered after the death of the testator concern the heir alone should not be accepted everywhere and without any distinction.
quod enim remota lege Falcidia in totum iuris foret, hoc idem fore in ea parte, quae lege Falcidia constitueretur: hoc enim attinet damna postea facta non deduci, ne amota portio legatis fideiue commissis detrahatur.
For what would be entirely the law if the Lex Falcidia were removed, this same will be the case in that part which is established by the Lex Falcidia; for this concerns the fact that losses subsequently made are not deducted, lest the portion set aside be diminished by legacies or trusts.
§35.2.30.3Uerum est autem his solis, quae pondere numero mensura constant, nec damno postea incidente ex portione, quae fieris ad aestimationem eorum bonorum, quae mortis tempore fuerunt, quicquam detrahi.
But it is true that only in the case of those things which consist in weight, number, or measure, even if a loss subsequently occurs, nothing is deducted from the portion which would be made according to the valuation of those goods which existed at the time of death.
§35.2.30.4Certis uero corporibus et his ipsis ita relictis: 'pecuniam, quam in illa arca', 'uinum, quod in illis doleis', 'pondus argenti, quod in illis horreis habeo', si sine culpa heredis deperierunt uel deteriora sunt facta, procul dubio aut nihil debebitur aut eorum quae exstabunt qualia erunt ea portio debebitur, quae per legem Falcidiam efficiatur ex aestimatione bonorum, quae mortis testatoris tempore fuerint.
But in the case of specific objects, and those very things left in this manner: "the money which I have in that chest," "the wine which I have in those jars," "the weight of silver which I have in those warehouses," if they have perished or deteriorated without the fault of the heir, without doubt either nothing will be due, or that portion will be due from what survives, in whatever condition it may be, which is produced through the Lex Falcidia from the valuation of the goods which existed at the time of the testator's death.
§35.2.30.5Incertae autem res relictae distinctionem recipiunt: nam si ex suis rebus incertam rem testator reliquisset, ueluti 'argentum quod elegerit', et omne argentum testatoris interisset sine culpa heredis, nihil deberetur: sin uero argenti pondus pure relictum esset, quamuis omne argentum testatoris deperisset, admissa lege Falcidia portio eius quantitatis sumetur, quae fuit in bonis eo tempore quo testator decessit, nec ad imminuendam eam quicquam damna postea incidentia proficient.
But indefinite things that are left admit of a distinction: for if the testator had left an indefinite thing from his own property, such as "the silver which he shall choose," and all the silver of the testator had perished without the fault of the heir, nothing would be due; but if a weight of silver had been left simply, although all the silver of the testator had perished, once the Lex Falcidia is admitted, a portion of that quantity will be taken which was in the estate at the time when the testator died, nor will losses subsequently occurring have any effect in diminishing it.
§35.2.30.6Res tamen, quae interierint, pro nulla parte ac ne aestimatio quidem debeatur, non magis quam si omnes res per speciem enumeratae relictae essent.
Nevertheless, for things that have perished, no part and not even the valuation will be due, no more than if all the things had been left enumerated by species.
§35.2.30.7Tametsi autem legis Falcidiae ratione, quae condicionis implendae causa heredi sunt data, in quartam non computantur, tamen id, quod non figura condicionis accipere iussus est ab eo, cui hereditatem restituere rogatus est, Celso et Iuliano nostro placuit computari, quemadmodum si ea summa heres uendere eas res iussus esset, quia non condicionis implendae causa, sed quodammodo pro pretio inferre sunt iussi.
However, although in the calculation of the Lex Falcidia, those things which are given to the heir for the sake of fulfilling a condition are not computed in the fourth part, yet our friends Celsus and Julian decided that what he is ordered to receive, not in the form of a condition, from the person to whom he is requested to restore the inheritance, should be computed, just as if the heir had been ordered to sell those things for that sum, because they are ordered to pay it not for the sake of fulfilling a condition, but in a certain way as a price.
quo loco amplius quaesitum est, an fideicommissarius quoque inuitus cogatur dare eam summam et recipere hereditatem, quasi et ipsius fidei commissum esset: sed id uerisimile non est, cum talis oratio magis ipsius causa, quam contra ipsum posita uideatur.
In which connection it is further asked whether the beneficiary of the trust also can be compelled against his will to give that sum and receive the inheritance, as if a trust had been imposed on him too; but this is not likely, since such language seems to be laid down for his benefit rather than against him.
§35.2.30.8Cum lex Falcidia interuenit, non ueniunt in contributionem, quae ipsi heredi a semetipso uel seruo eius legata fideiue commissa sunt.
When the Lex Falcidia intervenes, those things which are bequeathed or left under a trust to the heir himself from himself or from his slave do not come into the contribution.
alia causa est eorum, quae in die certa dantur: nam si libertatis dies coepit cedere, ei debebuntur et in contributionem ueniunt.
The case of those things which are given on a certain day is different: for if the day for freedom begins to yield, they will be due to him and come into the contribution.
ac ne ea quidem, quae quis seruis suis inutiliter sine libertate legauit fideiue commisit, in computationem eius legis cedunt.
And not even those things which someone has invalidly bequeathed or left under a trust to his own slaves without freedom yield to the calculation of that law.
§35.2.30.9Res, quas neque per fideicommissum relinqui posse certum est, in legis Falcidiae computationem non ueniunt.
Things which it is certain cannot be left even by trust do not come into the calculation of the Lex Falcidia.