De regula Catoniana
(Concerning the Rule of Cato.)
1 Celsus libro trigesimo quinto digestorum. Catoniana regula sic definit, quod, si testamenti facti tempore decessisset testator, inutile foret, id legatum quandocumque decesserit, non valere. quae definitio in quibusdam falsa est. 1Quid enim, si quis ita legaverit: ‘si post kalendas mortuus fuero, Titio dato?’ an cavillamur? nam hoc modo si statim mortuus fuerit, non esse datum legatum verius est quam inutiliter datum. 2Item si tibi legatus est fundus, qui scribendi testamenti tempore tuus est, si eum vivo testatore alienaveris, legatum tibi debetur, quod non deberetur, si testator statim decessisset.
1 Celsus, Digest, Book XXXV. The Rule of Cato is stated as follows, “Any legacy that would be void if the testator died immediately after making his will will not be valid no matter how long afterwards he may die.” This rule does not hold good in certain cases. 1But what if anyone should make a bequest as follows: “Let such-and-such a sum be paid to Titius, if I should die after the Kalends.” Shall we quibble with reference to this? For, in this instance, if the testator should die immediately, it is better to hold that the legacy was not bequeathed at all, than that it was bequeathed illegally. 2In like manner, if a tract of land left to you was yours at the time the will was executed, and you alienated it during the lifetime of the testator, you will be entitled to the bequest, but you will not be entitled to it if the testator died immediately after having made his will.
2 Paulus libro quarto ad Plautium. Sed et si sic legaverit: ‘si filia mea Titio nupta erit’, sufficere visum est, si mortis tempore nupta inveniatur, licet testamenti facti tempore fuerit impubes.
2 Paulus, On Plautius, Book IV. If, however, a bequest should be made as follows, “If my daughter should marry Titius,” it is held to be valid if she should be married at the time of the death of the testator, even though at the time the will was made she was not marriageable.
3 Papinianus libro quinto decimo quaestionum. Catoniana regula non pertinet ad hereditates neque ad ea legata, quorum dies non mortis tempore, sed post aditam cedit hereditatem.
3 Papinianus, Questions, Book XV. The Rule of Cato is not applicable to either inheritances or legacies, the time of the vesting of which is not to be referred to the date of the death of the testator, but to that of the acceptance of the estate.
4 Ulpianus libro decimo ad Sabinum. Placet Catonis regulam ad condicionales institutiones non pertinere.
4 Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book X. It is well established that the Rule of Cato is not applicable to the conditional appointments of heirs.
5 Idem libro vicesimo secundo ad Sabinum. Regula Catoniana ad novas leges non pertinet.
5 The Same, On Sabinus, Book XXII. The Rule of Cato does not apply to new laws.