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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §39.6.1.pr-39.6.1.1

Definition of Donation Mortis Causa and Homeric Example

Passage 6251 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

The definition of donation mortis causa is provided, explaining the donor's preference of ownership over the donee and the heir, followed by an example from Homer.

[MARCIANUS libro nono institutionum. ] §39.6.1.prMortis causa donatio est, cum quis habere se uult quam eum cui donat magisque eum cui donat quam heredem suum.
[MARCIANUS, from the ninth book of Institutes.] A donation mortis causa is when someone wishes himself to have rather than the person to whom he donates, and that person to whom he donates rather than his own heir.
§39.6.1.1Sic et apud Homerum Telemachus donat Piraeo.
Thus also in Homer, Telemachus donates to Piraeus.

Notes

  1. 39.6.1.prhabere se uult quam eum cui donat magisque eum cui donat quam heredem suum — This sentence contains ellipses of the verb habere (to have) and uult (wishes). The first part is to be understood as habere se uult quam eum cui donat [habere uult] (wishes himself to have rather than that the person to whom he donates has), and the second part as magisque [uult] eum cui donat [habere] quam heredem suum [habere] (and wishes more that the person to whom he donates has rather than that his own heir has). This establishes the order of preference: donor > donee > heir.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §39.6.1.pr-39.6.1.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:39.6.1.pr-39.6.1.1

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