Corpus iurisprudentiae Romanae

Repertorium zu den Quellen des römischen Rechts

Digesta Iustiniani Augusti

Recognovit Mommsen (1870) et retractavit Krüger (1928)
Convertit in Anglica lingua Scott (1932)
Dig. XXXIV7,
De regula Catoniana
Liber trigesimus quartus
VII.

De regula Catoniana

(Concerning the Rule of Cato.)

1Cel­sus 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.

1Celsus, 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. 2Ad Dig. 34,7,1,2Windscheid: Lehrbuch des Pandektenrechts, 7. Aufl. 1891, Bd. III, § 654, Note 21.In 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.

2Pau­lus 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.

2Paulus, 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.

3Pa­pi­nia­nus li­bro quin­to de­ci­mo quaes­tio­num. Ca­to­nia­na re­gu­la non per­ti­net ad he­redi­ta­tes ne­que ad ea le­ga­ta, quo­rum dies non mor­tis tem­po­re, sed post ad­itam ce­dit he­redi­ta­tem.

3Papinianus, 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.

4Ul­pia­nus li­bro de­ci­mo ad Sa­binum. Pla­cet Ca­to­nis re­gu­lam ad con­di­cio­na­les in­sti­tu­tio­nes non per­ti­ne­re.

4Ad Dig. 34,7,4Windscheid: Lehrbuch des Pandektenrechts, 7. Aufl. 1891, Bd. III, § 638, Note 16.Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book X. It is well established that the Rule of Cato is not applicable to the conditional appointments of heirs.

5Idem li­bro vi­ce­si­mo se­cun­do ad Sa­binum. Re­gu­la Ca­to­nia­na ad no­vas le­ges non per­ti­net.

5The Same, On Sabinus, Book XXII. The Rule of Cato does not apply to new laws.