[ULPIANUS libro quadragensimo nono ad edictum. ] §38.9.1.prSuccessorium edictum idcirco propositum est, ne bona hereditaria uacua sine domino diutius iacerent et creditoribus longior mora fieret.
[ULPIANUS, from the forty-ninth book on the Edict.] The successorium edict was proposed for this reason, that inherited property should not lie vacant without an owner for too long, and that a longer delay should not be caused to creditors.
e re igitur praetor putauit praestituere tempus his, quibus bonorum possessionem detulit, et dare inter eos successionem, ut maturius possint creditores scire, utrum habeant, cum quo congrediantur, an uero bona uacantia fisco sint delata, an potius ad possessionem bonorum procedere debeant, quasi sine successore defuncto.
Therefore, the praetor thought it advantageous to prescribe a limit of time for those to whom he offered possession of goods, and to grant succession among them, so that creditors can know more quickly whether they have someone with whom they may deal, or indeed vacant goods have been transferred to the treasury, or whether they ought rather to proceed to the possession of goods, as if the deceased died without a successor.
§38.9.1.1Unus enim quisque suam bonorum possessionem repudiare potest, alienam non potest.
For each individual can renounce his own possession of goods, but cannot renounce another's.
§38.9.1.2Proinde procurator meus sine mea uoluntate meam bonorum possessionem repudiare non potest.
Accordingly, my agent cannot renounce my possession of goods without my consent.
§38.9.1.3Per seruum delatam bonorum possessionem dominus repudiare potest.
A master can renounce possession of goods offered through his slave.
§38.9.1.4Tutor impuberis an repudiare possit bonorum possessionem, uideamus.
Let us see whether the tutor of an impubes can renounce possession of goods.
et magis est, ne possit: sed ille ex auctoritate tutoris repudiare potest.
And the better opinion is that he cannot; but he can renounce it with the authority of his tutor.
§38.9.1.5Furiosi curator nequaquam poterit repudiare, quia necdum delata est.
The curator of a madman can by no means renounce, because it has not yet been offered.
§38.9.1.6Qui semel noluit bonorum possessionem petere, perdidit ius eius, etsi tempora largiantur: ubi enim noluit, iam coepit ad alios pertinere bonorum possessio aut fiscum inuitare.
He who has once refused to petition for possession of goods has lost his right to it, even if time is still available; for once he has refused, the possession of goods has already begun to belong to others or to invite the treasury.
§38.9.1.7Decretalis bonorum possessio an repudiari possit, uideamus.
Let us see whether decretal possession of goods can be renounced.
et quidem diebus finiri potest: sed repudiari eam non posse uerius est, quia nondum delata est, nisi cum fuerit decreta: rursum posteaquam decreta est, sera repudiatio est, quia quod adquisitum est repudiari non potest.
And indeed, it can be terminated by the passage of days; but the truer view is that it cannot be renounced, because it is not offered until it has been decreed; on the other hand, after it has been decreed, renunciation is too late, because what has been acquired cannot be renounced.
§38.9.1.8Si intra centensimum diem mortuus sit prior, statim sequens admitti potest.
If the prior claimant dies within the hundredth day, the next in order can be admitted immediately.
§38.9.1.9Quod dicimus 'intra dies centum bonorum possessionem peti posse', ita intellegendum est, ut et ipso die centensimo bonorum possessio peti possit, quemadmodum intra kalendas etiam ipsae kalendae sunt.
When we say 'possession of goods can be petitioned for within one hundred days', this is to be understood so that possession of goods can also be petitioned for on the hundredth day itself, just as "within the Kalends" also includes the Kalends themselves.
idem est et si 'in diebus centum' dicatur.
It is the same if it is said "in one hundred days".
§38.9.1.10Quibus ex edicto bonorum possessio dari potest, si quis eorum aut dari sibi noluerit aut in diebus statutis non admiserit, tunc ceteris bonorum possessio perinde competit, ac si prior ex eo numero non fuerit.
To whomsoever possession of goods can be given according to the Edict, if any of them either has not wished it to be given to himself or has not accepted it within the prescribed days, then the possession of goods belongs to the others just as if the prior person had not been of that number.
§38.9.1.11Sed uidendum est, an inter ceteros ipse quoque qui exclusus est admittatur, ut puta filius est in potestate: delata est ei bonorum possessio ex prima parte, unde liberis defertur: exclusus est tempore aut repudiatione: ceteris defertur: sed ipse sibi succedat ex hac successoria parte? et magis est, ut succedat, ut unde legitimi possit petere et post hos suo ordine ex illa parte, unde proximi cognati uocantur.
But we must see whether among the others he himself who has been excluded is also admitted; for example, there is a son in power: possession of goods was offered to him under the first part, where it is offered to children: he is excluded by time or by renunciation: it is offered to the others: but does he succeed himself under this succession clause? And the better view is that he does succeed, so that he can petition under the clause of statutory heirs, and after these, in his own order, under that part where the nearest cognates are called.
et hoc iure utimur, ut admittatur: poterit igitur ex sequenti parte succedere ipse sibi.
And we follow this rule, that he is admitted; therefore, he will be able to succeed himself from the subsequent part.
item hoc dici poterit et in secundum tabulas bonorum possessione, ut, si secundum tabulas non petierit bonorum possessionem is qui potuit et ab intestato succedere, ipse sibi succedat.
The same can also be said in the case of possession of goods in accordance with the will, so that, if he who could also succeed on intestacy has not petitioned for possession of goods in accordance with the will, he can succeed himself.
§38.9.1.12Largius tempus parentibus liberisque petendae bonorum possessionis tribuitur, in honorem sanguinis uidelicet, quia artandi non erant, qui paene ad propria bona ueniunt.
A more generous time is granted to parents and children for petitioning for possession of goods, obviously out of respect for their blood, because those who come to what is almost their own property ought not to be restricted.
ideoque placuit eis praestitui annum, scilicet ita moderate, ut neque ipsi urguerentur ad bonorum possessionis petitionem neque bona diu iacerent.
And therefore it was decided that a year should be prescribed for them, naturally in such a moderate way that they themselves should not be rushed into petitioning for possession of goods, nor should the goods lie vacant for long.
sane nonnumquam urguentibus creditoribus interrogandi sunt in iure, an sibi bonorum possessionem admittant, ut, si repudiare se dicant, sciant creditores, quid sibi agendum esset: si deliberare se adhuc dicant, praecipitandi non sunt.
Of course, sometimes, when creditors are pressing, they must be interrogated in court as to whether they accept the possession of goods for themselves, so that, if they say they renounce it, the creditors may know what they must do; if they say they are still deliberating, they must not be rushed.
§38.9.1.13Si quis autem a patre suo impuberi filio sit substitutus, non intra annum, sed intra diem centensimum bonorum possessionem petere poterit.
If, however, someone is substituted by a father for his impubes son, he can petition for possession of goods not within a year, but within the hundredth day.
§38.9.1.14Non solum autem cum suo nomine ueniunt liberi parentesque, hoc eis tribuitur, uerum etiam si seruus eius, qui ex liberis parentibusque est, heres institutus est, intra annum competit bonorum possessio: persona enim ea est, quae meruit hoc beneficium, quae petat.
And this is granted not only when children and parents come in their own name, but also if a slave of one who is among the children and parents is instituted as heir, the possession of goods is available within a year: for the person who petitions is the one who deserved this benefit.
§38.9.1.15Sed et si pater emancipati filii bonorum possessionem contra tabulas accipere uelit, anni tempus ei competere constat.
But even if the father of an emancipated son wishes to accept possession of goods contrary to the will, it is established that the time of a year is available to him.
§38.9.1.16Et generaliter ait Iulianus ex omnibus causis liberis parentibusque intra annum bonorum possessionem competere.
And generally Julian says that from all causes, possession of goods is available to children and parents within a year.