← Latin for Lawyers, Judges and Notaries Public
18.1 Testātor testator nec neither testāmentum will nec nor codicillum codicil relīquit left
18.2 Iūdex judge causam case nec not audīre to hear volēbat was willing
18.3 Reus defendant nec not culpam guilt nec nor poenam punishment agnōscit acknowledges
18.4 Mārcus Marcus hērēditātem inheritance nec not petit seeks nec nor exspectat expects
18.5 Advocātus lawyer nec neither lēgēs laws nec nor mōrēs customs novit knows
18.6 Testis witness nec not vērum truth dīcere to speak vult wishes
18.7 Tabellió notary documentum document nec not scrīpsit wrote nec nor signāvit signed
18.8 Lēx law nec neither iusta just nec nor aequa fair vidētur seems
18.9 Iūriscōnsultus legal expert responsum response nec not dare to give potest is able
18.10 Praetor praetor nec not iūdicium judgment dare to give vult wishes
18.11 Cōnsul consul edictum edict nec not prōmulgāre to promulgate potest is able
18.12 Senātus senate nec neither dēcrētum decree nec nor mandātum mandate dedit gave
18.13 Cliens client pecūniam money nec not solvit paid
18.14 Iūstitia justice nec neither caeca blind nec nor tarda slow esse to be dēbet ought
18.15 Magistrātus magistrate potestātem power nec not exercēre to exercise audet dares
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18.1 Testātor nec testāmentum nec codicillum relīquit. The testator left neither a will nor a codicil.
18.2 Causam iūdex nec audīre volēbat. The judge was not willing to hear the case.
18.3 Nec culpam nec poenam reus agnōscit. The defendant acknowledges neither guilt nor punishment.
18.4 Hērēditātem Mārcus nec petit nec exspectat. Marcus neither seeks nor expects the inheritance.
18.5 Nec lēgēs nec mōrēs advocātus novit. The lawyer knows neither the laws nor the customs.
18.6 Vērum testis nec dīcere vult. The witness does not wish to speak the truth.
18.7 Documentum tabelliō nec scrīpsit nec signāvit. The notary neither wrote nor signed the document.
18.8 Nec iusta nec aequa lēx vidētur. The law seems neither just nor fair.
18.9 Responsum iūriscōnsultus nec dare potest. The legal expert is not able to give a response.
18.10 Iūdicium praetor nec dare vult. The praetor does not wish to give judgment.
18.11 Edictum cōnsul nec prōmulgāre potest. The consul is not able to promulgate the edict.
18.12 Nec dēcrētum nec mandātum senātus dedit. The senate gave neither a decree nor a mandate.
18.13 Pecūniam cliens nec solvit. The client did not pay the money.
18.14 Nec caeca nec tarda iūstitia esse dēbet. Justice ought to be neither blind nor slow.
18.15 Potestātem magistrātus nec exercēre audet. The magistrate does not dare to exercise power.
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18.1 Testātor nec testāmentum nec codicillum relīquit.
18.2 Causam iūdex nec audīre volēbat.
18.3 Nec culpam nec poenam reus agnōscit.
18.4 Hērēditātem Mārcus nec petit nec exspectat.
18.5 Nec lēgēs nec mōrēs advocātus novit.
18.6 Vērum testis nec dīcere vult.
18.7 Documentum tabelliō nec scrīpsit nec signāvit.
18.8 Nec iusta nec aequa lēx vidētur.
18.9 Responsum iūriscōnsultus nec dare potest.
18.10 Iūdicium praetor nec dare vult.
18.11 Edictum cōnsul nec prōmulgāre potest.
18.12 Nec dēcrētum nec mandātum senātus dedit.
18.13 Pecūniam cliens nec solvit.
18.14 Nec caeca nec tarda iūstitia esse dēbet.
18.15 Potestātem magistrātus nec exercēre audet.
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For English speakers learning Latin legal terminology, understanding "nec" requires attention to several key points: -
Basic Usage: -
Functions as a negative connector -
Can be used singly (meaning "and not" or "nor") -
Often used in pairs (meaning "neither... nor") -
Does not change form (indeclinable) -
Position in Sentence: -
Can appear before what it negates -
In pairs, precedes each element being negated -
Often emphasizes the negative connection -
With Different Parts of Speech: -
Nouns: nec testāmentum nec codicillum -
Verbs: nec scrīpsit nec signāvit -
Adjectives: nec iusta nec aequa -
Infinitives: nec audīre volēbat -
Legal Context: -
Frequently used in legal documents -
Important in expressing exclusions -
Used in formal denials -
Common in legal prohibitions
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Understanding how Romans used "nec" in legal contexts requires cultural background: -
In Roman Law: -
Used in formal legal denials -
Important in testamentary law -
Part of procedural formulas -
Essential in contractual clauses -
Legal Documents: -
Common in wills and testaments -
Used in judicial decisions -
Found in legislative texts -
Present in official proclamations -
Modern Legal Usage: -
Still used in some legal Latin phrases -
Important in civil law systems -
Found in legal maxims -
Used in formal legal writing -
Historical Development: -
From early Roman law -
Through medieval legal texts -
Into modern legal systems -
Continuing influence today
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From Gaius's Institutes (2.147):
Sed but sī if quis anyone rem thing suam his own legāverit should bequeath, inutile useless est is legātum, the legacy, nec and not ad to rem the matter pertinet, it pertains, sī if eam it posteā afterwards aliēnāverit he should alienate
"Sed sī quis rem suam legāverit, inutile est legātum, nec ad rem pertinet, sī eam posteā aliēnāverit."
But if anyone should bequeath his own property, the legacy is void, and it does not matter if he should afterwards alienate it.
Gaius uses "nec" here to emphasize the complete irrelevance of subsequent actions to the initial invalidity of the bequest. The passage demonstrates the technical precision of Roman legal writing.
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"nec" introduces additional legal consequence -
Subjunctive mood in conditional clauses -
Technical legal vocabulary -
Precise syntactical structure
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18.16 Emptōrēs buyers nec neither titulum title nec nor possessiōnem possession habent have
18.17 Venditor seller nec not bonā in good fidē faith contrāxit contracted
18.18 Contractus contract nec neither validus valid nec nor perfectus complete est is
18.19 Arbitrī arbitrators causam case nec not intellegere to understand possunt are able
18.20 Prōcūrātor agent mandātum mandate nec not habēbat had
18.21 Dēbitor debtor pecūniam money nec not solvere to pay potest is able
18.22 Lēgātus delegate nec neither potestātem power nec nor auctōritātem authority habet has
18.23 Pactum agreement nec not scrīptum written est is
18.24 Fidēiussor guarantor nec not solvendō solvent est is
18.25 Locātor lessor rem property nec not trādere to hand over vult wishes
18.26 Conductor lessee mercedem rent nec not solvit paid
18.27 Sociī partners nec neither lūcrum profit nec nor damnum loss partiuntur share
18.28 Tutor guardian rationes accounts nec not reddidit rendered
18.29 Crēditor creditor pignus pledge nec not accēpit received
18.30 Arbiter arbitrator sententiam decision nec not prōnūntiāvit pronounced
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18.16 Emptōrēs nec titulum nec possessiōnem habent. The buyers have neither title nor possession.
18.17 Bonā fidē venditor nec contrāxit. The seller did not contract in good faith.
18.18 Nec validus nec perfectus contractus est. The contract is neither valid nor complete.
18.19 Causam arbitrī nec intellegere possunt. The arbitrators are not able to understand the case.
18.20 Mandātum prōcūrātor nec habēbat. The agent did not have a mandate.
18.21 Pecūniam dēbitor nec solvere potest. The debtor is not able to pay the money.
18.22 Nec potestātem nec auctōritātem lēgātus habet. The delegate has neither power nor authority.
18.23 Pactum nec scrīptum est. The agreement was not written.
18.24 Fidēiussor nec solvendō est. The guarantor is not solvent.
18.25 Rem locātor nec trādere vult. The lessor does not wish to hand over the property.
18.26 Mercedem conductor nec solvit. The lessee did not pay the rent.
18.27 Nec lūcrum nec damnum sociī partiuntur. The partners share neither profit nor loss.
18.28 Rationes tutor nec reddidit. The guardian did not render the accounts.
18.29 Pignus crēditor nec accēpit. The creditor did not receive the pledge.
18.30 Sententiam arbiter nec prōnūntiāvit. The arbitrator did not pronounce the decision.
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18.16 Emptōrēs nec titulum nec possessiōnem habent.
18.17 Bonā fidē venditor nec contrāxit.
18.18 Nec validus nec perfectus contractus est.
18.19 Causam arbitrī nec intellegere possunt.
18.20 Mandātum prōcūrātor nec habēbat.
18.21 Pecūniam dēbitor nec solvere potest.
18.22 Nec potestātem nec auctōritātem lēgātus habet.
18.23 Pactum nec scrīptum est.
18.24 Fidēiussor nec solvendō est.
18.25 Rem locātor nec trādere vult.
18.26 Mercedem conductor nec solvit.
18.27 Nec lūcrum nec damnum sociī partiuntur.
18.28 Rationes tutor nec reddidit.
18.29 Pignus crēditor nec accēpit.
18.30 Sententiam arbiter nec prōnūntiāvit.
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Use of "nec" in Contract Law: -
Negative assertions in contracts -
Denial of contractual obligations -
Expression of limitations -
Statement of prohibitions -
Common Contract Phrases: -
nec validus (not valid) -
nec perfectus (not complete) -
nec solvendō (not solvent) -
nec scrīptum (not written) -
Syntactical Patterns in Contracts: -
With infinitives: nec solvere potest -
With gerundives: nec solvendō est -
Double negation: nec titulum nec possessiōnem -
With technical terms: nec mandātum habēbat -
Legal Effects: -
Invalidation clauses -
Limitation statements -
Breach descriptions -
Default provisions -
Contract-Specific Features: -
Used in formal denials -
Essential in breach clauses -
Important in warranty exclusions -
Common in liability limitations
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