Differentiarum libri
Ex libro I
Modestinus, Differences, Book I. By the arrogation of the father of a family the children who are under his control become the grandchildren of the arrogator, and at the same time with their father are placed under his authority, which does not also take place in case of adoption; for then the grandchildren remain under the control of their natural grandfather. 1He who adopts, and also he who arrogates, must not only be older than the person whom he makes his son either through arrogation or adoption, but he must be so by the term of complete puberty, that is to say, he must be further advanced in age by eighteen years. 2A person who is impotent can obtain a proper heir for himself by arrogation, nor is his corporeal weakness an obstacle to his doing so.
Modestinus, Differences, Book I. The authority of a guardian is necessary to a ward who receives property in pledge, on account of the danger of an action on pledge.
Modestinus, Differences, Book I. Where a father made a substitution for his son who had not yet arrived at puberty, as follows: “Whoever becomes my heir, let him also be the heir of my son who has not yet arrived at the age of puberty”; it was decided that only such heirs as had been mentioned with reference to this substitution in the will should be admitted to share in the estate. Hence a master who, by means of his slave, had acquired a portion of the estate, could not become the heir by virtue of his substitution for a child who had not attained the age of puberty, if the slave was no longer under his control.
Modestinus, Differences, Book I. A ward cannot grant freedom to a slave by virtue of a trust without the authority of his guardian.
Modestinus, Differences, Book I. Where persons are sentenced to the mines, and, through illness or the infirmities of age, they become incapable of performing labor, according to a Rescript of the Divine Pius, they can be discharged by the Governor, who shall decide whether they shall be released; provided they have relatives or connections, and have served not less than ten years of their sentence.