Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §37.5.16.pr

Obligation of Emancipated Appointed Heir for Legacies

Passage 5765 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

The text discusses the extent of the obligation to pay legacies imposed on an emancipated appointed heir under the possession of goods contrary to the tablet, when there is also an omitted self-successor.

[ULPIANUS libro quarto disputationum. ] §37.5.16.prSi duo proponantur esse unus in potestate praeteritus, alius emancipatus institutus, apparet commissum esse edictum per eum, qui in potestate est: et si ambo petissent contra tabulas bonorum possessionem, is quidem, qui in potestate mansit, cum rem ab intestato habeat, non praestabit liberis et parentibus legata.
[ULPIANUS libro quarto disputationum.] If two persons are proposed, one a self-successor omitted and the other emancipated and appointed heir, it is clear that the edict is brought into operation through the one who is in power. And if both had requested the possession of goods contrary to the tablet, the one indeed who remained in power, since he has the property on intestacy, will not pay legacies to children and parents.
emancipatus uero numquid nec ipse praestat, quia ei rem auferret, qui praestaturus non erat, si solus esset? sed uerius est uel hunc saltem debere liberis et parentibus praestare legata.
But as for the emancipated one, is it not the case that he himself also does not pay, because he would take away the property from him who would not have had to pay if he had been alone? But it is more correct that at least this one ought to pay legacies to children and parents.
proinde si contra tabulas non accepit, dicendum est tuendum eum in partem et utique liberis parentibusque legata praestaturum.
Therefore, if he has not accepted [the possession] contrary to the tablet, it must be said that he is to be protected in respect of his share, and will certainly pay legacies to children and parents.
sed an et omnibus, dubito: tamen quia plena fruatur uoluntate, plenum et obsequium praestare testatoris iudicio pro sua parte debet.
But whether he must do so to everyone as well, I doubt; nevertheless, because he enjoys the full will [of the testator], he ought to pay full respect to the judgment of the testator in proportion to his share.

Notes

  1. §37.5.16.prcommissum esse edictum — A technical legal phrase meaning "the edict has been brought into operation" or "the conditions of the edict have been fulfilled."
  2. §37.5.16.prquia ei rem auferret, qui praestaturus non erat, si solus esset — The relative clause "qui praestaturus non erat, si solus esset" (who would not have had to pay if he had been alone) modifies the dative pronoun "ei" (from whom the property is taken). The subject of "auferret" is the emancipated son ("emancipatus").
  3. §37.5.16.prplena fruatur uoluntate — The verb "fruor" (here in the subjunctive "fruatur") governs the ablative noun phrase "plena uoluntate". The term "uoluntas" here refers to the testator's intention or appointment in the will.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §37.5.16.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:37.5.16.pr

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.