[IDEM libro singulari de gradibus et adfinibus et nominibus eorum. ] §38.10.10.prIuris consultus cognatorum gradus et adfinium nosse debet, quia legibus hereditates et tutelae ad proximum quemque adgnatum redire consuerunt: sed et edicto praetor proximo cuique cognato dat bonorum possessionem: praeterea lege iudiciorum publicorum contra adfines et cognatos testimonium inuiti dicere non cogimur.
[THE SAME AUTHOR in his single book on degrees, affines, and their names.] A jurist ought to know the degrees of cognates and affines, because by the laws inheritances and guardianships are accustomed to devolve upon each of the nearest agnates; but also by his edict, the praetor gives the possession of goods to each of the nearest cognates; furthermore, by the law of public trials, we are not compelled to give testimony against our will against affines and cognates.
§38.10.10.1Nomen cognationis a Graeca uoce dictum uidetur: συγγενεῖς enim illi uocant, quos nos cognatos appellamus. §38.10.10.2Cognati sunt et quos adgnatos lex duodecim tabularum appellat, sed hi sunt per patrem cognati ex eadem familia: qui autem per feminas coniunguntur, cognati tantum nominantur.
The name of cognation seems to be derived from a Greek word: for they call "syngeneis" those whom we call "cognates." Those whom the Law of the Twelve Tables calls agnates are also cognates, but these are cognates through the father from the same family; on the other hand, those who are connected through women are called only cognates.
§38.10.10.3Proximiores ex adgnatis sui dicuntur.
The nearest among the agnates are called "sui".
§38.10.10.4Inter adgnatos igitur et cognatos hoc interest quod inter genus et speciem: nam qui est adgnatus, et cognatus est, non utique autem qui cognatus est, et adgnatus est: alterum enim ciuile, alterum naturale nomen est.
Therefore, between agnates and cognates there is the same difference as between genus and species: for he who is an agnate is also a cognate, but he who is a cognate is not necessarily also an agnate; for the one is a civil name, the other a natural name.
§38.10.10.5Non parcimus his nominibus, id est cognatorum, etiam in seruis: itaque parentes et filios fratresque etiam seruorum dicimus: sed ad leges seruiles cognationes non pertinent.
We do not spare these names, that is, of cognates, even in the case of slaves; and so we speak of parents, children, and brothers even of slaves; but cognations of slaves do not apply to the laws.
§38.10.10.6Cognationis origo et per feminas solas contingit: frater enim est et qui ex eadem matre tantum natus est: nam qui eundem patrem habent, licet diuersas matres, etiam adgnati sunt.
The origin of cognation also occurs through women alone; for he who is born from the same mother only is also a brother; for those who have the same father, although different mothers, are also agnates.
§38.10.10.7Parentes usque ad tritauum apud Romanos proprio uocabulo nominantur: ulteriores qui non habent speciale nomen maiores appellantur: item liberi usque ad trinepotem:ultra hos posteriores uocantur.
Among the Romans, parents up to the tritavus are named with a specific word; those further back who do not have a special name are called "maiores"; likewise, children up to the trinepos; beyond these, they are called "posteriores".
§38.10.10.8Sunt et ex lateribus cognati, ut fratres sororesque et ex his prognati: item patrui amitae et auunculi et materterae.
There are also cognates from the side branches, such as brothers and sisters, and those born from them; likewise, paternal uncles, paternal aunts, maternal uncles, and maternal aunts.
§38.10.10.9Nam quotiens quaeritur, quanto gradu quaeque persona sit, ab eo incipiendum est cuius de cognatione quaerimus: et si ex inferioribus aut superioribus gradibus est, recta linea susum uersum uel deorsum tendentium facile inueniemus gradus, si per singulos gradus proximum quemque numeramus: nam qui ei, qui mihi proximo gradu est, proximus est, secundo gradu est mihi: similiter enim accedentibus singulis crescit numerus.
For whenever it is asked in what degree each person is, one must begin with the person whose relationship we are inquiring about; and if they are of the descending or ascending degrees, we will easily find the degrees of those extending in a straight line upwards or downwards if we count each nearest person through the individual degrees; for he who is nearest to him who is nearest to me is in the second degree to me; for similarly, as individual persons are added, the number increases.
idem faciendum in transuersis gradibus: sic frater secundo gradu est, quoniam patris uel matris persona, per quos coniungitur, prior numeratur.
The same must be done in the collateral degrees; thus a brother is in the second degree, since the person of the father or mother through whom he is connected is counted first.
§38.10.10.10Gradus autem dicti sunt a similitudine scalarum locorumue procliuiu, quos ita ingredimur, ut a proximo in proximum, id est in eum, qui quasi ex eo nascitur, transeamus.
Now, degrees are so called from their resemblance to staircases or sloping places, on which we step in such a way that we pass from the nearest to the next nearest, that is, to him who, as it were, is born from him.
§38.10.10.11Nunc singulos gradus numeramus.
Now we enumerate the individual degrees.
§38.10.10.12Primo gradu cognationis sunt susum uersum duo pater et mater. deorsum uersum duo filius et filia: qui tamen et plures esse possunt.
In the first degree of cognation there are, upwards, two: father and mother; downwards, two: son and daughter; who, however, can also be more numerous.