testāmentum, i, n. [testor], the publication of a last will or testament; a will, testament (cf. codicilli).
- I. In gen., Gell. 7 (6), 12, 1 sqq.: testamentum est voluntatis nostrae justa sententia de eo, quod quis post mortem suam fieri velit, Dig. 28, 1, 1: testamentum legere … obsignare … facere, Cic. Mil. 18, 48; id. Verr. 2, 1, 43, § 111; cf.: testamenti factio, id. Top. 11, 50: testamenti factionem habere, id. Fam. 7, 21: testamentum conscribere, id. Har. Resp. 20, 42: obsignare, id. Clu. 14, 41; Caes. B. G. 1, 39: signare, Quint. 4, 2, 87: mutare, Cic. Clu. 11, 31; Dig. 29, 6, 1: rumpere, Cic. de Or. 1, 57, 241; id. Caecin. 25, 72; cf.: testamentorum ruptorum aut ratorum jura, id. de Or. 1, 38, 173: constat agnascendo rumpi testamentum, id. ib. 1, 57, 241; Dig. 28, 2, 22 sqq.: irritum facere, Cic. Phil. 2, 42, 109: subicere, id. ib. 14, 3, 7; id. Par. 6, 2, 46; cf.: testamentorum subjector, id. Cat. 2, 4, 7: supponere, id. Par. 6, 1, 43; cf. id. Leg. 1, 16, 43: testamento cavere aliquid, id. Fin. 2, 31, 102: testamento esse in triente, id. Att. 7, 8, 3: eripis hereditatem, quae venerat testamento, id. Verr. 2, 2, 18, § 46: cum ex testamento HS. milies relinquatur, id. Off. 3, 24, 93: testamenta resignare, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 9: testamento aliquem adoptare, Nep. Att. 5, 2: testamenta nuncupare, to announce or acknowledge before witnesses, Plin. 14, 22, 28, § 141; Plin. Ep. 8, 18, 5.
Concerning the three different kinds of testaments (calatis comitiis, per aes ad libram, and in procinctu), and the laws relating to wills in gen., v. Lübker, Real-Lex., s.v. Testamentum, and esp. Rein, Privatr. p. 363 sq.
- II. In eccl. Lat: Testamentum vetus et novum, the Old and New Testaments, cf. Lact. 4, 20, 4; Tert. adv. Marc. 1, 1: vetus, Vulg. 2 Cor. 3, 14: novum, ib. 3, 6.