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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §39.5.1.pr-39.5.1.1

Classification of Gifts and Conditional Donations

Passage 6216 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Iulianus classifies donations into proper unconditional, suspensive conditional, and resolutive conditional donations, and explains that a donation between betrothed parties that can be reclaimed if marriage does not follow belongs to the resolutive conditional type.

[IULIANUS libro septimo decimo digestorum. ] §39.5.1.prDonationes complures sunt.
[IULIANUS libro septimo decimo digestorum.] There are several kinds of donations.
dat aliquis ea mente, ut statim uelit accipientis fieri nec ullo casu ad se reuerti, et propter nullam aliam causam facit, quam ut liberalitatem et munificentiam exerceat: haec proprie donatio appellatur.
A person gives with the intention that he wants it immediately to become the property of the recipient and in no case to return to himself, and he does this for no other reason than to exercise liberality and munificence: this is properly called a donation.
dat aliquis, ut tunc demum accipientis fiat, cum aliquid secutum fuerit: non proprie donatio appellabitur, sed totum hoc donatio sub condicione est.
A person gives so that it may become the property of the recipient only when something has followed: this will not properly be called a donation, but this whole transaction is a donation under a condition.
item cum quis ea mente dat, ut statim quidem faciat accipientis, si tamen aliquid factum fuerit aut non fuerit, uelit ad se reuerti, non proprie donatio dicitur, sed totum hoc donatio est, quae sub condicione soluatur.
Likewise, when someone gives with the intention that he indeed immediately makes it the property of the recipient, but yet, if something has been done or has not been done, he wants it to return to himself: this is not properly called a donation, but this whole transaction is a donation which is dissolved under a condition.
qualis est mortis causa donatio.
Such is a donation in contemplation of death.
§39.5.1.1Igitur cum dicimus inter sponsum et sponsam donationem ualere, propria appellatione utimur et factum demonstramus, quod ab eo proficiscitur, qui liberalitatis gratia aliquid dat, ut confestim faciat accipientis nec umquam ullo facto ad se reuerti uelit.
Therefore, when we say that a donation between a betrothed man and a betrothed woman is valid, we use the proper appellation and point to an act which proceeds from him who, for the sake of liberality, gives something so that he immediately makes it the property of the recipient and never wants it to return to himself by any occurrence.
cum uero dicimus, si hac mente donat sponsus sponsae, ut nuptiis non secutis res auferatur, posse repeti, non contrarium priori dicimus, sed concedimus inter eas personas fieri donationem eam, quae sub condicione soluatur.
On the other hand, when we say that if a betrothed man gives to a betrothed woman with this intention, that if the marriage does not follow, the thing may be taken away, it can be reclaimed, we do not say the opposite of the former, but we concede that between those persons that donation is made which is dissolved under a condition.

Notes

  1. §39.5.1.praccipientis — The genitive of possession (genitivus possessivus) is used as a complement with the verb 'fieri' (to become), meaning 'to become the property of the recipient'.
  2. §39.5.1.prsoluatur — The subjunctive present passive is used in the relative clause introduced by 'quae', indicating a characteristic. The verb 'soluere' here means 'to dissolve' or 'to annul' a legal transaction (subject to a resolutive condition).
  3. §39.5.1.1nuptiis non secutis — An ablative absolute construction consisting of the noun 'nuptiae' (marriage) and the perfect participle 'secutis' of 'sequi', functioning here as a condition ('if the marriage does not follow').
  4. §39.5.1.1posse repeti — An accusative with infinitive (A.c.I.) construction dependent on the main verb 'dicimus' (we say). The subject accusative of 'posse' (the thing, 'rem') is omitted. 'repeti' is the present passive infinitive of 'repetere' (to reclaim).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §39.5.1.pr-39.5.1.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:39.5.1.pr-39.5.1.1

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