← Latin for Lawyers, Judges and Notaries Public
23.1. iūdex judge potest is able sententiam sentence dīcere to pronounce
23.2. nōn not possumus we are able testāmentum will revocare to revoke
23.3. hērēs heir potuit was able bona goods accipere to receive
23.4. advocātus advocate meus my potest is able causam case agere to plead
23.5. testēs witnesses nōn not potuērunt were able vēritātem truth dīcere to tell
23.6. potestne is he able? notārius notary contrāctum contract cōnfirmāre to confirm
23.7. crēditōrēs creditors possunt are able pecūniam money repetere to reclaim
23.8. nēmō no one potest is able lēgem law ignōrāre to ignore
23.9. reus defendant potuisset would have been able innocentiam innocence suam his probāre to prove
23.10. poteritis you will be able iūs right vestrum your dēfendere to defend
23.11. mandātor principal potest is able procūrātōrem agent cōnstituere to appoint
23.12. si if possem I were able documentum document invenīre to find
23.13. poterant they were able hērēditātem inheritance dīvidere to divide
23.14. quandō when poterimus we will be able litem lawsuit fīnīre to end
23.15. possuntne are they able? arbitrī arbitrators contrōversiam dispute solvere to resolve
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23.1. Iūdex potest sententiam dīcere. The judge is able to pronounce sentence.
23.2. Nōn possumus testāmentum revocare. We cannot revoke the will.
23.3. Hērēs potuit bona accipere. The heir was able to receive the goods.
23.4. Advocātus meus potest causam agere. My advocate can plead the case.
23.5. Testēs nōn potuērunt vēritātem dīcere. The witnesses were not able to tell the truth.
23.6. Potestne notārius contrāctum cōnfirmāre? Can the notary confirm the contract?
23.7. Crēditōrēs possunt pecūniam repetere. The creditors can reclaim the money.
23.8. Nēmō potest lēgem ignōrāre. No one can ignore the law.
23.9. Reus potuisset innocentiam suam probāre. The defendant would have been able to prove his innocence.
23.10. Poteritis iūs vestrum dēfendere. You will be able to defend your right.
23.11. Mandātor potest procūrātōrem cōnstituere. The principal can appoint an agent.
23.12. Sī possem documentum invenīre. If I were able to find the document.
23.13. Poterant hērēditātem dīvidere. They were able to divide the inheritance.
23.14. Quandō poterimus litem fīnīre? When will we be able to end the lawsuit?
23.15. Possuntne arbitrī contrōversiam solvere? Can the arbitrators resolve the dispute?
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23.1. Iūdex potest sententiam dīcere.
23.2. Nōn possumus testāmentum revocare.
23.3. Hērēs potuit bona accipere.
23.4. Advocātus meus potest causam agere.
23.5. Testēs nōn potuērunt vēritātem dīcere.
23.6. Potestne notārius contrāctum cōnfirmāre?
23.7. Crēditōrēs possunt pecūniam repetere.
23.8. Nēmō potest lēgem ignōrāre.
23.9. Reus potuisset innocentiam suam probāre.
23.10. Poteritis iūs vestrum dēfendere.
23.11. Mandātor potest procūrātōrem cōnstituere.
23.12. Sī possem documentum invenīre.
23.13. Poterant hērēditātem dīvidere.
23.14. Quandō poterimus litem fīnīre?
23.15. Possuntne arbitrī contrōversiam solvere?
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The verb possum, posse, potuī ("to be able, can") is an irregular compound verb formed from pot- (from the adjective potis "able") and sum ("to be"). This creates a unique conjugation pattern where the stem changes based on whether the following letter is a vowel or consonant.
Present Tense Forms: -
possum (I am able) -
potes (you are able) -
potest (he/she/it is able) -
possumus (we are able) -
potestis (you all are able) -
possunt (they are able)
Notice how the stem is pos- before forms of sum beginning with s, but pot- before forms beginning with e.
Imperfect: poteram, poterās, poterat, etc. (I was able, etc.)
Perfect: potuī, potuistī, potuit, etc. (I was able/have been able, etc.)
Pluperfect: potueram, potuerās, potuerat, etc. (I had been able, etc.)
Future: poterō, poteris, poterit, etc. (I will be able, etc.)
Subjunctive Present: possim, possīs, possit, possīmus, possītis, possint
Subjunctive Imperfect: possem, possēs, posset, etc.
Key Legal Usage: In legal contexts, possum often expresses legal capacity or authority. For example, "iūdex potest" means the judge has the legal authority or jurisdiction to act.
Construction: Possum takes a complementary infinitive to express what one is able to do: "potest dīcere" (he is able to speak).
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In Roman law, the concept of potestās (power, authority) was fundamental to understanding legal relationships. The verb possum expressed not just physical ability but legal capacity. A Roman citizen's ability to perform legal acts depended on their status: -
Suī iūris persons (independent) could perform all legal acts -
Aliēnī iūris persons (under another's power) had limited capacity -
Women required a tūtor (guardian) for certain transactions -
Slaves had no legal capacity (nūlla potestās)
The phrase "nēmō potest lēgem ignōrāre" (no one can ignore the law) reflects the Roman principle that ignorance of the law is no excuse (ignōrantia iūris nōn excūsat). This principle, still fundamental in modern legal systems, meant that all citizens were presumed to know the law and could not claim inability to comply due to ignorance.
In notarial practice, the notary's potestās to authenticate documents derived from imperial or municipal authority, making their attestations legally binding throughout the empire.
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Source: Gaius, Institutiones 1.48-49 (On the legal capacity of persons)
Sequitur it follows dē concerning eō that iūre law quod which ad to persōnās persons pertinet pertains. Dē concerning condiciōne condition hominum of men, omnes all hominēs men aut either līberī free sunt are aut or servī slaves. Et and līberōrum of free men hominēs men aliī some ingenuī freeborn sunt are, aliī others lībertīnī freedmen. Ingenuī freeborn sunt are quī who līberī free nātī born sunt are; lībertīnī freedmen quī who ex from iūstā lawful servitūte slavery manūmissī manumitted sunt are. Sed but et also servōrum of slaves aliae some causae conditions sunt are: aut either enim for ex from iūre law gentium of nations servī slaves sunt are, id that est is ex from captīvitāte captivity, aut or iūre by law cīvīlī civil.
Sequitur dē eō iūre quod ad persōnās pertinet. Dē condiciōne hominum, omnes hominēs aut līberī sunt aut servī. Et līberōrum hominēs aliī ingenuī sunt, aliī lībertīnī. Ingenuī sunt quī līberī nātī sunt; lībertīnī quī ex iūstā servitūte manūmissī sunt. Sed et servōrum aliae causae sunt: aut enim ex iūre gentium servī sunt, id est ex captīvitāte, aut iūre cīvīlī.
It follows concerning that law which pertains to persons. Concerning the condition of men, all men are either free or slaves. And of free men, some are freeborn, others freedmen. The freeborn are those who are born free; freedmen are those who have been manumitted from lawful slavery. But there are also different conditions of slaves: for they are slaves either by the law of nations, that is from captivity, or by civil law.
Sequitur dē eō iūre quod ad persōnās pertinet. Dē condiciōne hominum, omnes hominēs aut līberī sunt aut servī. Et līberōrum hominēs aliī ingenuī sunt, aliī lībertīnī. Ingenuī sunt quī līberī nātī sunt; lībertīnī quī ex iūstā servitūte manūmissī sunt. Sed et servōrum aliae causae sunt: aut enim ex iūre gentium servī sunt, id est ex captīvitāte, aut iūre cīvīlī.
This passage from Gaius introduces the fundamental legal categories of persons in Roman law. While it doesn't use the verb possum directly, it establishes who could (poterat) perform legal acts. Only līberī (free persons) possessed full legal capacity.
The structure uses multiple aut...aut (either...or) constructions to create clear legal categories. Notice the parallel construction: "aliī...aliī" (some...others) dividing free persons into subcategories.
The verb pertinet (it pertains) + ad + accusative is a common legal formula. The phrase ex iūstā servitūte emphasizes that only lawful slavery could lead to valid manumission - illegal enslavement could not create a valid freedman status. This distinction mattered because it determined who could (posset) exercise citizen rights after manumission.
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senex old man Mārcus Marcus nōn not iam now poterat was able testāmentum will novum new facere to make -
morbus illness gravis serious eum him opprimēbat was oppressing et and mente in mind captus seized erat he was -
fīliī sons ēius his duo two potuērunt were able advocātōs advocates optimōs best condūcere to hire -
prīmus first fīlius son dīxit said sē himself posse to be able testāmentum will vetus old cōnfirmāre to confirm -
secundus second autem however frāter brother negāvit denied patrem father potuisse to have been able mente with mind sānā sound testārī to make a will -
iūdex judge sapiens wise quaesīvit asked num whether testēs witnesses possent were able dē about patre father testificārī to testify -
trēs three amīcī friends veterēs old potuērunt were able ad to tribūnal court venīre to come -
prīmus first testis witness adfirmāvit affirmed Mārcum Marcus posse to be able rēs matters suās his own administrāre to manage -
nōn not potuit was able tamen however dīcere to say quandō when testāmentum will scrīptum written esset had been -
notārius notary pūblicus public poterat was able documenta documents authentica authentic prōdūcere to produce -
in in hīs these tabulīs tablets possunt are able omnēs all vidēre to see signa seals testium of witnesses -
sed but nēmō no one potest is able diem day certum certain prōbāre to prove -
advocātus advocate dēfēnsor defender potuisset would have been able plūra more things argumenta arguments afferre to bring forward -
sī if medicus doctor potuisset had been able testimonium testimony dare to give dē about statu state mentis of mind -
tandem finally iūdex judge dēcrēvit decreed neutrum neither frātrem brother posse to be able tōtam whole hērēditātem inheritance obtinēre to obtain
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Senex Mārcus nōn iam poterat testāmentum novum facere. Old Marcus was no longer able to make a new will. -
Morbus gravis eum opprimēbat et mente captus erat. A serious illness was afflicting him and he was unsound of mind. -
Fīliī ēius duo potuērunt advocātōs optimōs condūcere. His two sons were able to hire the best advocates. -
Prīmus fīlius dīxit sē posse testāmentum vetus cōnfirmāre. The first son said that he could confirm the old will. -
Secundus autem frāter negāvit patrem potuisse mente sānā testārī. The second brother, however, denied that their father had been able to make a will with sound mind. -
Iūdex sapiens quaesīvit num testēs possent dē patre testificārī. The wise judge asked whether witnesses could testify about the father. -
Trēs amīcī veterēs potuērunt ad tribūnal venīre. Three old friends were able to come to court. -
Prīmus testis adfirmāvit Mārcum posse rēs suās administrāre. The first witness affirmed that Marcus could manage his own affairs. -
Nōn potuit tamen dīcere quandō testāmentum scrīptum esset. He could not, however, say when the will had been written. -
Notārius pūblicus poterat documenta authentica prōdūcere. The notary public was able to produce authentic documents. -
In hīs tabulīs possunt omnēs vidēre signa testium. In these tablets everyone can see the seals of the witnesses. -
Sed nēmō potest diem certum prōbāre. But no one can prove the certain date. -
Advocātus dēfēnsor potuisset plūra argumenta afferre. The defense advocate could have brought forward more arguments. -
Sī medicus potuisset testimonium dare dē statu mentis. If the doctor had been able to give testimony about the state of mind. -
Tandem iūdex dēcrēvit neutrum frātrem posse tōtam hērēditātem obtinēre. Finally the judge decreed that neither brother could obtain the whole inheritance.
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Senex Mārcus nōn iam poterat testāmentum novum facere. -
Morbus gravis eum opprimēbat et mente captus erat. -
Fīliī ēius duo potuērunt advocātōs optimōs condūcere. -
Prīmus fīlius dīxit sē posse testāmentum vetus cōnfirmāre. -
Secundus autem frāter negāvit patrem potuisse mente sānā testārī. -
Iūdex sapiens quaesīvit num testēs possent dē patre testificārī. -
Trēs amīcī veterēs potuērunt ad tribūnal venīre. -
Prīmus testis adfirmāvit Mārcum posse rēs suās administrāre. -
Nōn potuit tamen dīcere quandō testāmentum scrīptum esset. -
Notārius pūblicus poterat documenta authentica prōdūcere. -
In hīs tabulīs possunt omnēs vidēre signa testium. -
Sed nēmō potest diem certum prōbāre. -
Advocātus dēfēnsor potuisset plūra argumenta afferre. -
Sī medicus potuisset testimonium dare dē statu mentis. -
Tandem iūdex dēcrēvit neutrum frātrem posse tōtam hērēditātem obtinēre.
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This legal narrative demonstrates various uses of possum in a coherent story about testamentary capacity - a crucial concept in Roman inheritance law.
Key Constructions: -
Imperfect tense (poterat, poterant) shows ongoing ability or inability in the past -
Perfect tense (potuit, potuērunt) indicates completed actions of being able -
Indirect statement with posse: "dīxit sē posse" (he said that he could) -
Indirect question: "quaesīvit num testēs possent" (he asked whether witnesses could) -
Contrary-to-fact conditions: "potuisset...sī potuisset" (would have been able...if had been able)
Legal Terminology: -
mente captus - legally incompetent due to mental incapacity -
mente sānā testārī - to make a will with sound mind (essential for validity) -
documenta authentica - authenticated documents (notarized) -
signa testium - witnesses' seals (required for valid wills)
The narrative illustrates the Roman law principle that mental capacity (posse mente sānā) was essential for making a valid will. The judge's final decision to divide the inheritance suggests neither brother could prove their case definitively.
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