← Latin for Lawyers, Judges and Notaries Public
◊ᴺᵉˣᵃˡ ◊ᴸᵃᵗⁱⁿᵘᵐ ◊ᴸᵃᵗⁱⁿ ◊ᴸᵉˢˢᵒⁿ³⁰ ◊ᵈᵒ
Welcome to Lesson 30 of our Latin course for legal professionals. Today’s word is the verb dō, dare, dedī, datum, “to give.” The Dickinson Core Vocabulary ranks it 28th among all Latin words. Lawyers meet it constantly: in do ut des, in nemo dat quod non habet, in the Roman lawyer’s formula dare facere praestare, and in the word “date” at the foot of every deed.
What does dare mean in legal Latin?
Dare means “to give,” but in Roman law it has a narrower, technical sense as well: to transfer ownership. Gaius explains that a thing is “given” to us only when it is given in such a way that it becomes ours (Institutes 4.4). Handing over a book to be looked after is not dare in this sense. Giving a book so that the other person owns it is. Around this core the verb has a wide range of everyday meanings: to grant (iūdicium dare, “to grant a trial”), to appoint (tūtōrem dare, “to appoint a guardian”), to pledge (fidem dare, “to give one’s word”), to send (litterās dare, “to dispatch a letter”), and even to deceive (verba dare, literally “to give words”).
How does Latin differ from English here?
English “give” is one plain verb. Latin dare combines with many nouns to make fixed legal expressions, and English often needs a different verb for each: iūdicem dare is “to appoint a judge,” not “to give a judge”; poenās dare is “to pay the penalty”; operam dare is “to attend to.” Dare also takes a dative of the person who receives: Titius Seiō pecūniam dat, “Titius gives money to Seius.” The case called the dative (cāsus datīvus) is named after this verb: it is the “giving case.”
Why is the a short?
Dō is irregular in one important way: its a is short in almost every form (dare, damus, datus, dabō), although every other first-conjugation verb has a long ā (amāre, amāmus). Only dās (you give) and dā (give!) have a long vowel. So say DA-re, not “DAH-re.”
Etymology: dō comes from Proto-Indo-European *deh₃-, “to give,” and is related to Greek δίδωμι (dídōmi), Sanskrit dadāti and Russian дать (dat’). Dōnum (gift), dōs (dowry) and dōnātiō (donation) come from the same root. Many Latin compounds that look like third-conjugation verbs are built on it: reddere (to give back; English “render”), trādere (to hand over; “tradition,” and the civilian trāditiō, delivery), vendere (from vēnum dare, “to give for sale”), ēdere (to put out, publish; “edition”). English “date” comes from the closing formula of Latin letters and charters, data or datum, “given (at such a place, on such a day).”
Key Takeaways
⚖ Dō, dare, dedī, datum means “to give”; the person who receives stands in the dative
⚖ The a is short in every form except dās and dā: dare, damus, datus, dabō
⚖ In Roman law, dare in the strict sense means to transfer ownership (Gaius 4.4), one of the three kinds of performance, dare facere praestare
⚖ With certain nouns dare means “to grant” or “to appoint”: iūdicium dare, āctiōnem dare, tūtōrem dare, iūdicem dare
⚖ Datum, “given,” is the dating formula of charters and deeds, and the source of English “date”
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dō /doː/: one syllable with a long o, like the vowel of French “eau” held a little longer.
dare /ˈda.re/: two syllables, both short. The a is the short a of German “Mann,” and the stress falls on the first syllable: DA-re.
dedī /ˈde.diː/: the perfect repeats the first consonant with an e (reduplication): de-DĪ is wrong, DE-dī is right. The final ī is long.
datum /ˈda.tum/, datus /ˈda.tus/, data /ˈda.ta/: all with a short first a.
dās /daːs/ and dā /daː/: the only forms with a long a.
Subjunctive: dem /dem/, dēs /deːs/, det /det/, dēmus /ˈdeː.mus/, dētis /ˈdeː.tis/, dent /dent/. The e is long in dēs, dēmus and dētis, short before final m, t and nt.
Future: dabō /ˈda.boː/, dabis /ˈda.bis/, dabit /ˈda.bit/. Stress stays on the first syllable.
Legal English pronunciations vary (“doe oot dayz” for do ut des). This course gives the restored classical pronunciation, in which c is always /k/ and v is /w/.
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30.1a Pecūniam money dat he-gives
30.1b Pecūniam /peˈkuː.ni.am/ money.ACC.F.SG dat /dat/ give.3SG.PRES
30.2a Tūtōrem a-guardian praetor the-praetor dat appoints
30.2b Tūtōrem /tuːˈtoː.rem/ guardian.ACC.M.SG praetor /ˈprae̯.tor/ praetor.NOM.M.SG dat /dat/ give.3SG.PRES
30.3a Pecūnia the-money data given est has-been
30.3b Pecūnia /peˈkuː.ni.a/ money.NOM.F.SG data /ˈda.ta/ give.PERF.PART.PASS.NOM.F.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES
30.4a Pignus a-pledge dedit he-gave
30.4b Pignus /ˈpiɡ.nus/ pledge.ACC.N.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF
30.5a Verba words dedit he-gave
30.5b Verba /ˈwer.ba/ word.ACC.N.PL dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF
30.6a Titius Titius Seiō to-Seius pecūniam money mūtuam as-a-loan dedit gave
30.6b Titius /ˈti.ti.us/ Titius.NOM.M.SG Seiō /ˈsej.joː/ Seius.DAT.M.SG pecūniam /peˈkuː.ni.am/ money.ACC.F.SG mūtuam /ˈmuː.tu.am/ lent.ACC.F.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF
30.7a Testātor the-testator servō to-the-slave lībertātem freedom testāmentō by-will dedit gave
30.7b Testātor /tesˈtaː.tor/ testator.NOM.M.SG servō /ˈser.woː/ slave.DAT.M.SG lībertātem /liː.berˈtaː.tem/ freedom.ACC.F.SG testāmentō /tes.taːˈmen.toː/ will.ABL.N.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF
30.8a Fidem his-word dedit he-gave sē himself diē on-a-day certō fixed solūtūrum about-to-pay
30.8b Fidem /ˈfi.dem/ faith.ACC.F.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF sē /seː/ self.ACC.M.SG diē /ˈdi.eː/ day.ABL.M.SG certō /ˈker.toː/ fixed.ABL.M.SG solūtūrum /so.luːˈtuː.rum/ pay.FUT.PART.ACT.ACC.M.SG
30.9a Iūdex the-judge partibus to-the-parties tempus time ad for respondendum replying dedit gave
30.9b Iūdex /ˈjuː.deks/ judge.NOM.M.SG partibus /ˈpar.ti.bus/ party.DAT.F.PL tempus /ˈtem.pus/ time.ACC.N.SG ad /ad/ for.PREP+ACC respondendum /res.ponˈden.dum/ reply.GERUND.ACC.N.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF
30.10a Nēmō no-one dat gives quod what nōn not habet he-has
30.10b Nēmō /ˈneː.moː/ no-one.NOM.M.SG dat /dat/ give.3SG.PRES quod /kʷod/ which.ACC.N.SG nōn /noːn/ not.ADV habet /ˈha.bet/ have.3SG.PRES
30.11a Quae what-things dolō by-fraud malō wicked facta done esse to-have-been dīcentur shall-be-said sī if dē concerning hīs these rēbus matters alia other āctiō action nōn not erit there-shall-be et and iūsta just causa cause esse to-be vidēbitur shall-seem iūdicium a-trial dabō I-shall-give
30.11b Quae /kʷae̯/ which.NOM.N.PL dolō /ˈdo.loː/ fraud.ABL.M.SG malō /ˈma.loː/ wicked.ABL.M.SG facta /ˈfak.ta/ do.PERF.PART.PASS.NOM.N.PL esse /ˈes.se/ be.PRES.INF dīcentur /diːˈken.tur/ say.3PL.FUT.PASS sī /siː/ if.CONJ dē /deː/ concerning.PREP+ABL hīs /hiːs/ this.ABL.F.PL rēbus /ˈreː.bus/ matter.ABL.F.PL alia /ˈa.li.a/ other.NOM.F.SG āctiō /ˈaːk.ti.oː/ action.NOM.F.SG nōn /noːn/ not.ADV erit /ˈe.rit/ be.3SG.FUT et /et/ and.CONJ iūsta /ˈjuːs.ta/ just.NOM.F.SG causa /ˈkau̯.sa/ cause.NOM.F.SG esse /ˈes.se/ be.PRES.INF vidēbitur /wiˈdeː.bi.tur/ seem.3SG.FUT.PASS iūdicium /juːˈdi.ki.um/ trial.ACC.N.SG dabō /ˈda.boː/ give.1SG.FUT
30.12a Aut either enim for dō I-give tibi to-you ut so-that dēs you-may-give aut or dō I-give ut so-that faciās you-may-do aut or faciō I-do ut so-that dēs you-may-give aut or faciō I-do ut so-that faciās you-may-do
30.12b Aut /au̯t/ either.CONJ enim /ˈe.nim/ for.CONJ dō /doː/ give.1SG.PRES tibi /ˈti.bi/ you.DAT.SG ut /ut/ so-that.CONJ dēs /deːs/ give.2SG.PRES.SUBJ aut /au̯t/ or.CONJ dō /doː/ give.1SG.PRES ut /ut/ so-that.CONJ faciās /ˈfa.ki.aːs/ do.2SG.PRES.SUBJ aut /au̯t/ or.CONJ faciō /ˈfa.ki.oː/ do.1SG.PRES ut /ut/ so-that.CONJ dēs /deːs/ give.2SG.PRES.SUBJ aut /au̯t/ or.CONJ faciō /ˈfa.ki.oː/ do.1SG.PRES ut /ut/ so-that.CONJ faciās /ˈfa.ki.aːs/ do.2SG.PRES.SUBJ
30.13a Quod what nostrum ours est is nōbīs to-us darī to-be-given nōn not potest can
30.13b Quod /kʷod/ which.NOM.N.SG nostrum /ˈnos.trum/ our.NOM.N.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES nōbīs /ˈnoː.biːs/ we.DAT.PL darī /ˈda.riː/ give.PRES.INF.PASS nōn /noːn/ not.ADV potest /ˈpo.test/ be-able.3SG.PRES
30.14a Cum since Titius Titius pecūniam money Seiō to-Seius dedisset had-given Seius Seius eam it reddere to-give-back dēbēbat was-bound
30.14b Cum /kum/ since.CONJ Titius /ˈti.ti.us/ Titius.NOM.M.SG pecūniam /peˈkuː.ni.am/ money.ACC.F.SG Seiō /ˈsej.joː/ Seius.DAT.M.SG dedisset /deˈdis.set/ give.3SG.PLUPERF.SUBJ Seius /ˈsej.jus/ Seius.NOM.M.SG eam /ˈe.am/ it.ACC.F.SG reddere /ˈred.de.re/ give-back.PRES.INF dēbēbat /deːˈbeː.bat/ owe.3SG.IMPERF
30.15a Praetor the-praetor ēdīxit proclaimed sē himself iūdicium a-trial datūrum about-to-give esse to-be sī if iūsta just causa cause vidērētur should-seem
30.15b Praetor /ˈprae̯.tor/ praetor.NOM.M.SG ēdīxit /eːˈdiːk.sit/ proclaim.3SG.PERF sē /seː/ self.ACC.M.SG iūdicium /juːˈdi.ki.um/ trial.ACC.N.SG datūrum /daˈtuː.rum/ give.FUT.PART.ACT.ACC.M.SG esse /ˈes.se/ be.PRES.INF sī /siː/ if.CONJ iūsta /ˈjuːs.ta/ just.NOM.F.SG causa /ˈkau̯.sa/ cause.NOM.F.SG vidērētur /wi.deːˈreː.tur/ seem.3SG.IMPERF.SUBJ.PASS
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30.1 Pecūniam dat. → “He gives money.”
30.2 Tūtōrem praetor dat. → “The praetor appoints a guardian.”
30.3 Pecūnia data est. → “The money has been given.”
30.4 Pignus dedit. → “He gave a pledge.”
30.5 Verba dedit. → “He cheated.” (literally “he gave words”)
30.6 Titius Seiō pecūniam mūtuam dedit. → “Titius lent money to Seius.”
30.7 Testātor servō lībertātem testāmentō dedit. → “The testator gave his slave freedom by his will.”
30.8 Fidem dedit sē diē certō solūtūrum. → “He gave his word that he would pay on a fixed day.”
30.9 Iūdex partibus tempus ad respondendum dedit. → “The judge gave the parties time to reply.”
30.10 Nēmō dat quod nōn habet. → “No one gives what he does not have.” (maxim of the common law)
30.11 Quae dolō malō facta esse dīcentur, sī dē hīs rēbus alia āctiō nōn erit et iūsta causa esse vidēbitur, iūdicium dabō. → “Where things are alleged to have been done by fraud, if there is no other action for these matters and there seems to be just cause, I will grant a trial.” (the praetor’s edict on fraud, quoted by Ulpian, Digest 4.3.1.1)
30.12 Aut enim dō tibi ut dēs, aut dō ut faciās, aut faciō ut dēs, aut faciō ut faciās. → “For either I give to you so that you give, or I give so that you do, or I do so that you give, or I do so that you do.” (Paul, Digest 19.5.5 pr.)
30.13 Quod nostrum est, nōbīs darī nōn potest. → “What is ours cannot be given to us.” (adapted from Gaius, Institutes 4.4)
30.14 Cum Titius pecūniam Seiō dedisset, Seius eam reddere dēbēbat. → “Since Titius had given the money to Seius, Seius was bound to give it back.”
30.15 Praetor ēdīxit sē iūdicium datūrum esse, sī iūsta causa vidērētur. → “The praetor proclaimed that he would grant a trial if there seemed to be just cause.”
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30.1 Pecūniam dat.
30.2 Tūtōrem praetor dat.
30.3 Pecūnia data est.
30.4 Pignus dedit.
30.5 Verba dedit.
30.6 Titius Seiō pecūniam mūtuam dedit.
30.7 Testātor servō lībertātem testāmentō dedit.
30.8 Fidem dedit sē diē certō solūtūrum.
30.9 Iūdex partibus tempus ad respondendum dedit.
30.10 Nēmō dat quod nōn habet.
30.11 Quae dolō malō facta esse dīcentur, sī dē hīs rēbus alia āctiō nōn erit et iūsta causa esse vidēbitur, iūdicium dabō.
30.12 Aut enim dō tibi ut dēs, aut dō ut faciās, aut faciō ut dēs, aut faciō ut faciās.
30.13 Quod nostrum est, nōbīs darī nōn potest.
30.14 Cum Titius pecūniam Seiō dedisset, Seius eam reddere dēbēbat.
30.15 Praetor ēdīxit sē iūdicium datūrum esse, sī iūsta causa vidērētur.
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These are the grammar rules for dō, dare in Latin:
1. Principal parts. Dō, dare, dedī, datum. The verb belongs to the first conjugation, but it is irregular: its stem vowel a is short (da-), where other first-conjugation verbs have a long ā (amā-). The perfect dedī is reduplicated (de- + d-).
2. The forms used in this lesson, as text lines:
Present indicative active: dō, dās, dat, damus, datis, dant
Imperfect indicative active: dabam, dabās, dabat, dabāmus, dabātis, dabant
Future indicative active: dabō, dabis, dabit, dabimus, dabitis, dabunt
Perfect indicative active: dedī, dedistī, dedit, dedimus, dedistis, dedērunt
Present subjunctive active: dem, dēs, det, dēmus, dētis, dent
Pluperfect subjunctive active: dedissem, dedissēs, dedisset, dedissēmus, dedissētis, dedissent
Imperative: dā (singular), date (plural); future imperative datō
Present passive: daris, datur, damur, daminī, dantur (the first person, dor, is not in use)
Infinitives: dare (present active), darī (present passive), dedisse (perfect active), datum esse (perfect passive), datūrum esse (future active)
Participles and gerund: dāns, dantis (present); datus, -a, -um (perfect passive); datūrus, -a, -um (future active); gerund dandī, dandō
3. The dative of the receiver. The thing given is in the accusative, the person who receives it in the dative: Titius Seiō pecūniam dedit (30.6); testātor servō lībertātem dedit (30.7); iūdex partibus tempus dedit (30.9). In the passive the thing given becomes the subject: pecūnia data est (30.3); nōbīs darī nōn potest (30.13).
4. Dare with a predicate. Dare can take a second accusative or adjective that says in what capacity something is given: pecūniam mūtuam dare, “to give money as a loan” (30.6); aliquid dōnō dare, “to give something as a gift” (a dative of purpose). Tūtōrem dare and iūdicem dare mean “to appoint as guardian, as judge.” A guardian appointed by a magistrate was called tūtor datīvus.
5. The technical sense. In Roman law dare in the strict sense means to make someone the owner of a thing. Gaius (4.4) says that nothing can be “given” to us that is already ours (30.13), because a thing is “given” only when it is transferred so that it becomes ours. Performance owed under an obligation was classed as dare (to transfer ownership), facere (to do or not do something) or praestāre (to make good, to answer for). The formula for an action on a debt claimed that the defendant “ought to give” (dare oportēre).
6. Fixed phrases with dare in legal Latin.
iūdicium dare, āctiōnem dare: to grant a trial, to grant an action (the praetor’s power; its opposite is dēnegāre)
tūtōrem dare, iūdicem dare, arbitrum dare: to appoint a guardian, a judge, an arbitrator
fidem dare: to give one’s word, to pledge (often with an accusative and infinitive: fidem dedit sē solūtūrum, 30.8)
pignus dare: to give a pledge (as security)
fidēiussōrem dare: to provide a surety
litterās dare (ad aliquem): to send a letter (to someone)
verba dare (alicui): to cheat, to deceive (someone) (30.5). A false friend: it does not mean “to give one’s word.” That is fidem dare.
poenās dare: to pay the penalty
operam dare: to attend to, to take pains
7. Purpose clauses. Ut + subjunctive states the purpose of giving: dō ut dēs, “I give so that you give” (30.12). The subjunctive forms dem, dēs, det are short and easy to confuse with the indicative: dās (you give) but dēs (that you may give).
8. Indirect statement. After verbs of saying and promising, the future active infinitive datūrum esse expresses the future: praetor ēdīxit sē iūdicium datūrum esse (30.15). In 30.8, esse is left out, as it often is: sē solūtūrum (esse).
9. The compounds. Compounds of dare with a one-syllable prefix pass into the third conjugation and have a short e in the infinitive: reddō, reddere, reddidī, redditum (to give back, 30.14); trādō, trādere, trādidī, trāditum (to hand over); vendō, vendere, vendidī, venditum (to sell); ēdō, ēdere, ēdidī, ēditum (to publish). Compounds with a two-syllable prefix keep the first-conjugation forms: circumdō, circumdare (to surround).
The paradigm used in this lesson (forms of dare): dat, data est, dedit, darī, dabō, dō, dēs, dedisset, datūrum esse, and the compound reddere; in the Genre Section dedit, darī, dabō, dare, datum.
Common Mistakes
A long a: ✗ dāre, ✗ dāmus, ✗ dātus. Only dās and dā have a long a. Say DA-re, DA-tus.
Stressing the wrong syllable of the perfect: ✗ de-DĪ. The stress is on the first syllable: DE-dī, DE-dit. In dedērunt and dedisset it moves to the second syllable, which is long.
Accusative for the receiver: English “give him the book” puts the receiver first with no preposition, and learners write ✗ eum librum dedit. The receiver is always dative: eī librum dedit.
Verba dare: it means “to deceive,” not “to give one’s word.” A witness who verba dedit has lied.
Confusing dās and dēs: dās is indicative (“you give”), dēs subjunctive (“that you may give”). Dō ut dēs, never ✗ dō ut dās.
Treating reddere as first conjugation: ✗ reddāre, ✗ reddāvit. The compound is third conjugation: reddere, reddidit.
Reading the English meaning into dare: iūdicium dare is “to grant a trial,” not “to give a judgment.” To give judgment is sententiam dīcere or prōnūntiāre.
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Dare, facere, praestare
Roman lawyers described everything a debtor can owe with three verbs. Gaius (Institutes 4.2) defines the personal action as the one we bring against someone bound to us by contract or delict, “that is, when we claim that he ought to give, do or make good” (cum intendimus dare facere praestare oportere). Civil codes still sort obligations this way. The French Code civil long spoke of obligations “to give, to do or not to do” (de donner, de faire ou de ne pas faire), and the Spanish Código civil (art. 1088) still says that every obligation consists in giving, doing or not doing something (dar, hacer o no hacer).
Do ut des
In the Digest (19.5.5 pr.), the jurist Paul lists four types of agreement that did not fit the named Roman contracts: do ut des, do ut facias, facio ut des, facio ut facias. These became the “innominate contracts” of the civil law. Once one party had performed, the other could be sued to perform in turn. Today do ut des is also used loosely, in politics and diplomacy, for any bargain of give and take.
Iudicium dabo
The Roman praetor did not decide cases himself. He granted or refused the action (āctiōnem dare, āctiōnem dēnegāre) and appointed a judge (iūdicem dare). His annual edict announced in advance when he would grant a remedy, usually with the words iudicium dabo, “I will grant a trial.” The edict on fraud (30.11) is a famous example. It gave a remedy where there was no other, and it shows the praetor’s power to create a remedy where the old civil law had none.
Nemo dat quod non habet
“No one gives what he does not have.” This maxim is the foundation of the common law of title to goods. A buyer from someone who is not the owner acquires no better title than the seller had. The rule appears in England in section 21(1) of the Sale of Goods Act 1979, and in the United States in the Uniform Commercial Code, §2-403. Its Roman ancestor is Ulpian’s rule in the Digest (50.17.54): nemo plus iuris ad alium transferre potest, quam ipse haberet, “no one can transfer to another more right than he himself would have.” The phrase nemo dat itself is medieval and modern, not classical.
Datio in solutum
The civilian term dation en paiement (French) or datio in solutum means “a giving in payment.” The creditor accepts something other than what was owed, and the debt is discharged. The common lawyer’s nearest equivalent is accord and satisfaction.
Datum and the date
Roman letters were handed to a messenger with a note of place and day: data Romae, “given at Rome.” Charters, papal bulls and notarial instruments kept the formula as Datum. When lawyers write “Given under my hand and seal this 24th day of September,” they are translating that formula, and the noun “date” itself comes from it. The Genre Section ends with it.
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The following passage comes from Gaius’s Institutes (c. 160 AD), Book III, §§92–93. It follows the division of obligations studied in Lesson 29. Gaius has explained contracts made “by a thing” (re). He now turns to contracts made “by words” (verbis), the stipulation, and gives the question-and-answer formulas the parties spoke aloud. The first formula is built on dare.
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
F.1a Verbīs by-words obligātiō an-obligation fit is-made ex from interrogātiōne question et and respōnsiōne answer
F.1b Verbīs /ˈwer.biːs/ word.ABL.N.PL obligātiō /ob.liˈɡaː.ti.oː/ obligation.NOM.F.SG fit /fit/ be-made.3SG.PRES ex /eks/ from.PREP+ABL interrogātiōne /in.ter.ro.ɡaː.tiˈoː.ne/ question.ABL.F.SG et /et/ and.CONJ respōnsiōne /res.poːn.siˈoː.ne/ answer.ABL.F.SG
F.2a velut for-example Darī to-be-given spondēs do-you-solemnly-promise Spondeō I-solemnly-promise Dabis will-you-give Dabō I-will-give
F.2b velut /ˈwe.lut/ for-example.ADV Darī /ˈda.riː/ give.PRES.INF.PASS spondēs /ˈspon.deːs/ promise.2SG.PRES Spondeō /ˈspon.de.oː/ promise.1SG.PRES Dabis /ˈda.bis/ give.2SG.FUT Dabō /ˈda.boː/ give.1SG.FUT
F.3a Prōmittis do-you-promise Prōmittō I-promise Fidēprōmittis do-you-promise-on-your-faith Fidēprōmittō I-promise-on-my-faith Fidēiubēs do-you-guarantee Fidēiubeō I-guarantee Faciēs will-you-do Faciam I-will-do
F.3b Prōmittis /proːˈmit.tis/ promise.2SG.PRES Prōmittō /proːˈmit.toː/ promise.1SG.PRES Fidēprōmittis /fi.deː.proːˈmit.tis/ promise-on-faith.2SG.PRES Fidēprōmittō /fi.deː.proːˈmit.toː/ promise-on-faith.1SG.PRES Fidēiubēs /fi.deːˈju.beːs/ guarantee.2SG.PRES Fidēiubeō /fi.deːˈju.be.oː/ guarantee.1SG.PRES Faciēs /ˈfa.ki.eːs/ do.2SG.FUT Faciam /ˈfa.ki.am/ do.1SG.FUT
F.4a Sed but haec this quidem indeed verbōrum of-words obligātiō obligation Darī to-be-given spondēs do-you-solemnly-promise Spondeō I-solemnly-promise propria peculiar cīvium of-citizens Rōmānōrum Roman est is
F.4b Sed /sed/ but.CONJ haec /hae̯k/ this.NOM.F.SG quidem /ˈkʷi.dem/ indeed.ADV verbōrum /werˈboː.rum/ word.GEN.N.PL obligātiō /ob.liˈɡaː.ti.oː/ obligation.NOM.F.SG Darī /ˈda.riː/ give.PRES.INF.PASS spondēs /ˈspon.deːs/ promise.2SG.PRES Spondeō /ˈspon.de.oː/ promise.1SG.PRES propria /ˈpro.pri.a/ peculiar.NOM.F.SG cīvium /ˈkiː.wi.um/ citizen.GEN.M.PL Rōmānōrum /roː.maːˈnoː.rum/ Roman.GEN.M.PL est /est/ be.3SG.PRES
F.5a cēterae the-others vērō however iūris of-the-law gentium of-nations sunt are
F.5b cēterae /ˈkeː.te.rae̯/ other.NOM.F.PL vērō /ˈweː.roː/ however.ADV iūris /ˈjuː.ris/ law.GEN.N.SG gentium /ˈɡen.ti.um/ nation.GEN.F.PL sunt /sunt/ be.3PL.PRES
F-B: Natural Text with Translation
Verbis obligatio fit ex interrogatione et responsione, velut DARI SPONDES? SPONDEO, DABIS? DABO, PROMITTIS? PROMITTO, FIDEPROMITTIS? FIDEPROMITTO, FIDEIUBES? FIDEIUBEO, FACIES? FACIAM. Sed haec quidem verborum obligatio DARI SPONDES? SPONDEO propria civium Romanorum est; ceterae vero iuris gentium sunt …
→ “An obligation is created by words through question and answer, for example: ‘Do you solemnly promise that it will be given?’ ‘I solemnly promise.’ ‘Will you give?’ ‘I will give.’ ‘Do you promise?’ ‘I promise.’ ‘Do you promise on your faith?’ ‘I promise on my faith.’ ‘Do you stand guarantee?’ ‘I stand guarantee.’ ‘Will you do it?’ ‘I will do it.’ But this verbal obligation, ‘Do you solemnly promise that it will be given?’ ‘I solemnly promise,’ belongs to Roman citizens alone; the others belong to the law of nations …”
— Gaius, Institutes III.92–93 (c. 160 AD)
F-C: Latin Text Only
Verbis obligatio fit ex interrogatione et responsione, velut DARI SPONDES? SPONDEO, DABIS? DABO, PROMITTIS? PROMITTO, FIDEPROMITTIS? FIDEPROMITTO, FIDEIUBES? FIDEIUBEO, FACIES? FACIAM. Sed haec quidem verborum obligatio DARI SPONDES? SPONDEO propria civium Romanorum est; ceterae vero iuris gentium sunt …
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
Grammar. Dare appears three times, in two forms. Darī is the present passive infinitive: “(Do you promise that it) is to be given?” In a full stipulation the thing promised stands in the accusative as subject of darī: centum darī spondēs?, “Do you promise that a hundred will be given?” Gaius gives the bare formula without the object. Dabis? Dabō uses the future indicative, second and first person. Each pair shows the rule of the stipulation: the answer repeats the verb of the question, changing only the person. Spondēs? is answered by spondeō, never by a mere “yes.” The verbs faciēs? faciam show that the stipulation could bind a person to do something (facere) as well as to give (dare).
Verbīs, like rē in Lesson 29, is an ablative of means with no preposition: the obligation is made “by words.” Ex interrogātiōne et respōnsiōne uses the ex of source studied in Lesson 29.
Commentary. The formula darī spondēs? spondeō was the oldest and most solemn of the forms. Spondēre was a word of religious weight, and only Roman citizens could use it. The other forms (prōmittis? prōmittō and the rest) belonged to the iūs gentium and could be used by foreigners as well. Fidēprōmittere and fidēiubēre are the forms used by sureties. From fidēiubeō comes fidēiussor, the surety of the Genre Section. The stipulation is the ancestor of the formal promise in civil-law contracts and of the notarial undertaking. The spelling in F-B and F-C is standardised (v for consonantal u; capitals for the spoken formulas, as in modern editions). The Latin Library text prints uelut, uero, ciuium.
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A short narrative follows a loan from the moment the money is handed over to the moment the receipt is filed with a notary. The protocol assigns narrative to verbs, and the story lets dare appear in most of its legal senses: to lend, to promise, to provide a surety, to send a letter, to deceive, to grant a trial, to appoint a judge, to pay, to issue a receipt, and finally the dating formula. Titius and Seius are the stock names of the Roman jurists’ examples. The text is a pedagogical composition in juristic Latin, not a quotation.
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
30.16a Titius Titius Seiō to-Seius centum a-hundred aureōs gold-pieces mūtuōs as-a-loan dedit gave
30.16b Titius /ˈti.ti.us/ Titius.NOM.M.SG Seiō /ˈsej.joː/ Seius.DAT.M.SG centum /ˈken.tum/ hundred.NUM aureōs /ˈau̯.re.oːs/ gold-piece.ACC.M.PL mūtuōs /ˈmuː.tu.oːs/ lent.ACC.M.PL dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF
30.17a Prius first tamen however Titius Titius interrogāvit asked Centum a-hundred aureōs gold-pieces darī to-be-given spondēs do-you-promise
30.17b Prius /ˈpri.us/ earlier.ADV.COMP tamen /ˈta.men/ however.ADV Titius /ˈti.ti.us/ Titius.NOM.M.SG interrogāvit /in.ter.roˈɡaː.wit/ ask.3SG.PERF Centum /ˈken.tum/ hundred.NUM aureōs /ˈau̯.re.oːs/ gold-piece.ACC.M.PL darī /ˈda.riː/ give.PRES.INF.PASS spondēs /ˈspon.deːs/ promise.2SG.PRES
30.18a Seius Seius respondit answered Spondeō I-promise kalendīs on-the-Kalends Iānuāriīs of-January dabō I-will-give
30.18b Seius /ˈsej.jus/ Seius.NOM.M.SG respondit /resˈpon.dit/ answer.3SG.PERF Spondeō /ˈspon.de.oː/ promise.1SG.PRES kalendīs /kaˈlen.diːs/ Kalends.ABL.F.PL Iānuāriīs /jaː.nuˈaː.ri.iːs/ January.ABL.F.PL dabō /ˈda.boː/ give.1SG.FUT
30.19a Seius Seius etiam also chīrographum a-signed-note dedit gave in in quō which pecūniam the-money sē himself accēpisse to-have-received scrīpsit he-wrote
30.19b Seius /ˈsej.jus/ Seius.NOM.M.SG etiam /ˈe.ti.am/ also.ADV chīrographum /kʰiːˈro.ɡra.pʰum/ note-of-hand.ACC.N.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF in /in/ in.PREP+ABL quō /kʷoː/ which.ABL.N.SG pecūniam /peˈkuː.ni.am/ money.ACC.F.SG sē /seː/ self.ACC.M.SG accēpisse /ak.keːˈpis.se/ receive.PERF.INF scrīpsit /ˈskriːp.sit/ write.3SG.PERF
30.20a Praetereā besides fidēiussōrem a-surety dedit he-gave Gāium Gaius Maevium Maevius
30.20b Praetereā /prae̯ˈte.re.aː/ besides.ADV fidēiussōrem /fi.deː.jusˈsoː.rem/ surety.ACC.M.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF Gāium /ˈɡaː.jum/ Gaius.ACC.M.SG Maevium /ˈmae̯.wi.um/ Maevius.ACC.M.SG
30.21a Kalendae the-Kalends Iānuāriae of-January vēnērunt came sed but Seius Seius nihil nothing dedit gave
30.21b Kalendae /kaˈlen.dae̯/ Kalends.NOM.F.PL Iānuāriae /jaː.nuˈaː.ri.ae̯/ January.NOM.F.PL vēnērunt /weːˈneː.runt/ come.3PL.PERF sed /sed/ but.CONJ Seius /ˈsej.jus/ Seius.NOM.M.SG nihil /ˈni.hil/ nothing.ACC.N.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF
30.22a Titius Titius litterās a-letter ad to eum him dedit sent
30.22b Titius /ˈti.ti.us/ Titius.NOM.M.SG litterās /ˈlit.te.raːs/ letter.ACC.F.PL ad /ad/ to.PREP+ACC eum /ˈe.um/ he.ACC.M.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF
30.23a Seius Seius autem however verba words dedit gave Crās tomorrow inquit he-said dabō I-will-give
30.23b Seius /ˈsej.jus/ Seius.NOM.M.SG autem /ˈau̯.tem/ however.CONJ verba /ˈwer.ba/ word.ACC.N.PL dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF Crās /kraːs/ tomorrow.ADV inquit /ˈiŋ.kʷit/ say.3SG.PRES dabō /ˈda.boː/ give.1SG.FUT
30.24a Tandem at-last Titius Titius praetōrem the-praetor adiit approached et and āctiōnem an-action sibi to-himself darī to-be-given postulāvit requested
30.24b Tandem /ˈtan.dem/ at-last.ADV Titius /ˈti.ti.us/ Titius.NOM.M.SG praetōrem /prae̯ˈtoː.rem/ praetor.ACC.M.SG adiit /ˈad.i.it/ approach.3SG.PERF et /et/ and.CONJ āctiōnem /aːk.tiˈoː.nem/ action.ACC.F.SG sibi /ˈsi.bi/ self.DAT.SG darī /ˈda.riː/ give.PRES.INF.PASS postulāvit /pos.tuˈlaː.wit/ request.3SG.PERF
30.25a Praetor the-praetor iūdicium a-trial dedit granted et and Lūcium Lucius Semprōnium Sempronius iūdicem as-judge dedit appointed
30.25b Praetor /ˈprae̯.tor/ praetor.NOM.M.SG iūdicium /juːˈdi.ki.um/ trial.ACC.N.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF et /et/ and.CONJ Lūcium /ˈluː.ki.um/ Lucius.ACC.M.SG Semprōnium /semˈproː.ni.um/ Sempronius.ACC.M.SG iūdicem /ˈjuː.di.kem/ judge.ACC.M.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF
30.26a Iūdex the-judge quia because appāruit it-appeared Seium Seius Titiō to-Titius centum a-hundred aureōs gold-pieces dare to-give oportēre to-be-bound eum him condemnāvit condemned
30.26b Iūdex /ˈjuː.deks/ judge.NOM.M.SG quia /ˈkʷi.a/ because.CONJ appāruit /apˈpaː.ru.it/ appear.3SG.PERF Seium /ˈsej.jum/ Seius.ACC.M.SG Titiō /ˈti.ti.oː/ Titius.DAT.M.SG centum /ˈken.tum/ hundred.NUM aureōs /ˈau̯.re.oːs/ gold-piece.ACC.M.PL dare /ˈda.re/ give.PRES.INF oportēre /o.porˈteː.re/ be-proper.PRES.INF eum /ˈe.um/ he.ACC.M.SG condemnāvit /kon.demˈnaː.wit/ condemn.3SG.PERF
30.27a Tum then Seius Seius nē so-that-not fidēiussor the-surety convenīrētur should-be-sued pecūniam the-money dedit paid
30.27b Tum /tum/ then.ADV Seius /ˈsej.jus/ Seius.NOM.M.SG nē /neː/ so-that-not.CONJ fidēiussor /fi.deːˈjus.sor/ surety.NOM.M.SG convenīrētur /kon.we.niːˈreː.tur/ sue.3SG.IMPERF.SUBJ.PASS pecūniam /peˈkuː.ni.am/ money.ACC.F.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF
30.28a Titius Titius Seiō to-Seius apocham a-receipt dedit gave quā by-which sē himself pecūniam the-money recēpisse to-have-received-back testātus declared est he-has
30.28b Titius /ˈti.ti.us/ Titius.NOM.M.SG Seiō /ˈsej.joː/ Seius.DAT.M.SG apocham /ˈa.po.kʰam/ receipt.ACC.F.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF quā /kʷaː/ which.ABL.F.SG sē /seː/ self.ACC.M.SG pecūniam /peˈkuː.ni.am/ money.ACC.F.SG recēpisse /re.keːˈpis.se/ receive-back.PERF.INF testātus /tesˈtaː.tus/ declare.PERF.PART.DEP.NOM.M.SG est /est/ be.3SG.PRES
30.29a Notārius the-notary apocham the-receipt in into ācta the-records rettulit entered et and exemplum a-copy utrīque to-each dedit gave
30.29b Notārius /noˈtaː.ri.us/ notary.NOM.M.SG apocham /ˈa.po.kʰam/ receipt.ACC.F.SG in /in/ into.PREP+ACC ācta /ˈaːk.ta/ record.ACC.N.PL rettulit /ˈret.tu.lit/ enter.3SG.PERF et /et/ and.CONJ exemplum /ekˈsem.plum/ copy.ACC.N.SG utrīque /uˈtriː.kʷe/ each-of-two.DAT.M.SG dedit /ˈde.dit/ give.3SG.PERF
30.30a Datum given Rōmae at-Rome kalendīs on-the-Kalends Februāriīs of-February
30.30b Datum /ˈda.tum/ give.PERF.PART.PASS.NOM.N.SG Rōmae /ˈroː.mae̯/ Rome.LOC.F.SG kalendīs /kaˈlen.diːs/ Kalends.ABL.F.PL Februāriīs /fe.bruˈaː.ri.iːs/ February.ABL.F.PL
Part B: Natural Sentences
30.16 Titius Seiō centum aureōs mūtuōs dedit. → “Titius lent Seius a hundred gold pieces.”
30.17 Prius tamen Titius interrogāvit: “Centum aureōs darī spondēs?” → “First, however, Titius asked: ‘Do you promise that a hundred gold pieces will be given?’”
30.18 Seius respondit: “Spondeō; kalendīs Iānuāriīs dabō.” → “Seius answered: ‘I promise; I will pay on the first of January.’”
30.19 Seius etiam chīrographum dedit, in quō pecūniam sē accēpisse scrīpsit. → “Seius also gave a signed note, in which he wrote that he had received the money.”
30.20 Praetereā fidēiussōrem dedit, Gāium Maevium. → “He also provided a surety, Gaius Maevius.”
30.21 Kalendae Iānuāriae vēnērunt, sed Seius nihil dedit. → “The first of January came, but Seius paid nothing.”
30.22 Titius litterās ad eum dedit. → “Titius sent him a letter.”
30.23 Seius autem verba dedit: “Crās,” inquit, “dabō.” → “But Seius fobbed him off: ‘I will pay tomorrow,’ he said.”
30.24 Tandem Titius praetōrem adiit et āctiōnem sibi darī postulāvit. → “At last Titius went to the praetor and asked to be granted an action.”
30.25 Praetor iūdicium dedit et Lūcium Semprōnium iūdicem dedit. → “The praetor granted a trial and appointed Lucius Sempronius as judge.”
30.26 Iūdex, quia appāruit Seium Titiō centum aureōs dare oportēre, eum condemnāvit. → “Since it was clear that Seius was bound to give Titius a hundred gold pieces, the judge gave judgment against him.”
30.27 Tum Seius, nē fidēiussor convenīrētur, pecūniam dedit. → “Then Seius paid the money, so that the surety would not be sued.”
30.28 Titius Seiō apocham dedit, quā sē pecūniam recēpisse testātus est. → “Titius gave Seius a receipt, in which he declared that he had received the money back.”
30.29 Notārius apocham in ācta rettulit et exemplum utrīque dedit. → “The notary entered the receipt in the records and gave a copy to each of them.”
30.30 Datum Rōmae, kalendīs Februāriīs. → “Given at Rome, on the first of February.”
Part C: Latin Text Only
30.16 Titius Seiō centum aureōs mūtuōs dedit.
30.17 Prius tamen Titius interrogāvit: “Centum aureōs darī spondēs?”
30.18 Seius respondit: “Spondeō; kalendīs Iānuāriīs dabō.”
30.19 Seius etiam chīrographum dedit, in quō pecūniam sē accēpisse scrīpsit.
30.20 Praetereā fidēiussōrem dedit, Gāium Maevium.
30.21 Kalendae Iānuāriae vēnērunt, sed Seius nihil dedit.
30.22 Titius litterās ad eum dedit.
30.23 Seius autem verba dedit: “Crās,” inquit, “dabō.”
30.24 Tandem Titius praetōrem adiit et āctiōnem sibi darī postulāvit.
30.25 Praetor iūdicium dedit et Lūcium Semprōnium iūdicem dedit.
30.26 Iūdex, quia appāruit Seium Titiō centum aureōs dare oportēre, eum condemnāvit.
30.27 Tum Seius, nē fidēiussor convenīrētur, pecūniam dedit.
30.28 Titius Seiō apocham dedit, quā sē pecūniam recēpisse testātus est.
30.29 Notārius apocham in ācta rettulit et exemplum utrīque dedit.
30.30 Datum Rōmae, kalendīs Februāriīs.
Part D: Grammar Notes for Genre Section
The narrative shows how many English verbs one Latin verb can cover. Lend: centum aureōs mūtuōs dedit (30.16). Promise to give: darī spondēs? (30.17), with the answer dabō (30.18). Provide: chīrographum dedit, fidēiussōrem dedit (30.19–20). Pay: nihil dedit, pecūniam dedit (30.21, 30.27). Send: litterās dedit (30.22). Deceive: verba dedit (30.23). Grant: āctiōnem darī, iūdicium dedit (30.24–25). Appoint: iūdicem dedit (30.25). Issue: apocham dedit, exemplum dedit (30.28–29). Date: Datum (30.30).
The dative of the receiver appears in 30.16 and 30.28 (Seiō), 30.26 (Titiō), 30.24 (sibi) and 30.29 (utrīque). In 30.22 the receiver of a letter is expressed with ad + accusative (litterās ad eum dare), the regular idiom for sending letters.
Dare oportēre (30.26) echoes the formula of the Roman action for a certain sum: sī paret Numerium Negidium Aulō Ageriō sestertium decem mīlia dare oportēre, iūdex … condemnātō, “if it appears that Numerius Negidius ought to give Aulus Agerius ten thousand sesterces, let the judge condemn him” (Gaius, Institutes 4.41–43, where the parts of the formula are described). Appāruit, “it appeared,” is the narrative form of that paret.
Other points. Kalendīs Iānuāriīs is an ablative of time: “on the Kalends of January,” the first day of the month. Rōmae (30.30) is a locative, “at Rome.” Convenīre (30.27) in legal Latin means “to sue” a person, and the passive convenīrī “to be sued.” Rettulit (30.29) comes from referre (in ācta referre, “to enter in the records”); it is not a compound of dare, although reddere is. Apocha (a receipt) and chīrographum (a note in the debtor’s own hand) are Greek loanwords used by the Roman jurists. Testātus est is the perfect of the deponent testor, “to declare, to bear witness.”
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Short a in dare: the one point to drill in this lesson. Dare, damus, datis, dabam, dabō, datus, datum, darī all have a short a. Only dās and dā are long. The compounds follow the same rule: circumdare /kirˈkum.da.re/ (the short a leaves the stress on -cum-).
Reduplicated perfect: dedī /ˈde.diː/, dedit /ˈde.dit/, dedērunt /deˈdeː.runt/, dedisset /deˈdis.set/. In the compounds the reduplication weakens to -did-: reddidī, trādidī, vendidī.
Macrons: this lesson marks every long vowel in Sections A–D and the Genre Section. F-B and F-C, like all legal citations, are printed without macrons, as they appear in editions and law reports. Legal phrases in running English text (do ut des, nemo dat quod non habet) are likewise normally printed without macrons and in italics.
Seius and Gāius: the i between vowels is a consonant and is pronounced double: Seius /ˈsej.jus/, Gāius /ˈɡaː.jus/, maior /ˈmaj.jor/. The rule does not apply across the join of a compound: in fidēiussor /fi.deːˈjus.sor/, where fidē and iubeō meet, the i is a single /j/. Note also the short i of fidēs, fidēiussor and fidēiubeō.
Greek loanwords: chīrographum and apocha are written with ch for Greek χ, pronounced as an aspirated /kʰ/. In careful classical speech the ph of chīrographum is /pʰ/, not /f/.
Consonantal i and u: this course writes i and v for the consonants (iūdicium, verba). Many editions of the jurists print i and u throughout (iudicium, uerba). They are the same words.
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◊ᴺᵉˣᵃˡ ◊ᴸᵃᵗⁱⁿᵘᵐ ◊ᴸᵃᵗⁱⁿ ◊ᴸᵉˢˢᵒⁿ³⁰ ◊ᵈᵒ ◊ᶜᵒᵐᵖˡᵉᵗᵉ
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