Description:
<jats:p>The principal item of the article is how to understand the meaning of the words ‘<jats:italic>ne a semet ipso ei </jats:italic>[<jats:italic>servo</jats:italic>]<jats:italic> adimatur libertas</jats:italic>’ as well as ‘<jats:italic>a semet ipso </jats:italic>[<jats:italic>servus</jats:italic>]<jats:italic> libertatem accipit</jats:italic>’, both phrases applied to a <jats:italic>servus cum libertate heres institutus.</jats:italic> Usual interpretations do not convince. A similar problem of understanding affects the wording ‘<jats:italic>sicuti legari sibi non potes</jats:italic>t<jats:italic>, ita nec a se adimi</jats:italic>’. Main question in this text: can a testator take away the freedom of a slave who is instituted as an heir by codicil? The principle of the <jats:italic>favor libertatis</jats:italic> implies the negative answer to this question. </jats:p>