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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §39.6.29.pr

Recovery of Gifts Mortis Causa and Actions in Rem

Passage 6279 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Ulpian discusses whether a donor who has recovered from an illness can bring an action in rem to retrieve a gift made mortis causa, distinguishing between a gift subject to a suspensive condition (effective only upon death) and one subject to a resolutive condition (effective immediately but returnable upon recovery).

[ULPIANUS libro septimo decimo ad edictum. ] §39.6.29.prSi mortis causa res donata est et conualuit qui donauit, uidendum, an habeat in rem actionem.
[ULPIAN, on the Edict, book 17.] If a thing has been donated mortis causa and the donor has recovered, it must be considered whether he has an action in rem.
et si quidem quis sic donauit, ut, si mors contigisset, tunc haberet cui donatum est, sine dubio donator poterit rem uindicare: mortuo eo tunc is cui donatum est.
And indeed, if someone made the donation in such a way that the donee should have [the thing] only if death occurred, the donor will without doubt be able to vindicate the thing; upon his death, then, the donee [will have it].
si uero sic, ut iam nunc haberet, redderet, si conualuisset uel de proelio uel peregre redisset, potest defendi in rem competere donatori, si quid horum contigisset, interim autem ei cui donatum est.
But if [it was made] in such a way that [the donee] should have it right now, but should return it if [the donor] recovered or returned from battle or from abroad, it can be maintained that an action in rem is available to the donor if any of these events should occur, but in the meantime it belongs to the donee.
sed et si morte praeuentus sit is cui donatum est, adhuc quis dabit in rem donatori.
But even if the donee is forestalled by death, anyone will still grant an action in rem to the donor.

Notes

  1. 39.6.29.pruidendum — The copula *est* is omitted; the gerundive *uidendum* governs the indirect question introduced by *an*, expressing an impersonal obligation ("it must be considered whether...").
  2. 39.6.29.prut, si mors contigisset, tunc haberet cui donatum est — Within the clause introduced by *ut*, a subordinate condition in the subjunctive pluperfect (*contigisset*) is embedded, representing a hypothetical event prior to the imperfect *haberet* (which is in the subjunctive imperfect due to the sequence of tenses after the perfect *donauit*). This describes a transfer subject to a suspensive condition.
  3. 39.6.29.prut iam nunc haberet, redderet — Both *haberet* and *redderet* are coordinated under the governing *ut*. This describes a donation subject to a resolutive condition, where the donee acquires immediate possession (*iam nunc haberet*) but must return the property (*redderet*) upon the occurrence of a specified event (such as the donor's recovery).
  4. 39.6.29.prmorte praeuentus sit is cui donatum est — The phrase *morte praeuentus sit* (literally "is forestalled by death") means that the donee predeceases the donor. In this case, analogously to the fulfillment of a resolutive condition (recovery), the donor is granted an action in rem to recover the property.
  5. 39.6.29.pradhuc quis dabit — The word *quis* here functions as an indefinite pronoun (equivalent to *aliquis*, or implying a rhetorical "who would not grant, indeed anyone would"). Thus, *adhuc quis dabit* means "still, someone (i.e., the praetor, or the law) will grant [the action in rem]."

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §39.6.29.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:39.6.29.pr

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