Ep. 2.16.1Tū quidem prō cēterā tuā dīligentiā admonēs mē cōdicillōs Aciliānī, quī mē ex parte īnstituit hērēdem, prō nōn scrīptīs habendōs, quia nōn sint cōnfirmātī testāmentō;With your usual diligence you remind me that the codicils of Acilianus, who made me heir to part of his estate, must be treated as unwritten, because they were not confirmed by his will; Ep. 2.16.2quod iūs nē mihi quidem ignōtum est, cum sit iīs etiam notum, quī nihil aliud sciunt.a point of law not unknown even to me, since it is known even to those who know nothing else. Ep. 2.16.2Sed ego propriam quandam lēgem mihi dīxī, ut dēfūnctōrum voluntātēs, etiamsī iūre dēficerentur, quasi perfectās tuērer.But I have laid down a certain law of my own for myself, to uphold the wishes of the dead as if they were complete, even if they were defective in law. Ep. 2.16.2Cōnstat autem cōdicillōs istōs Aciliānī manū scrīptōs.And it is agreed that these codicils were written in Acilianus' own hand. Ep. 2.16.3Licet ergō nōn sint cōnfirmātī testāmentō, ā mē tamen ut cōnfirmātī observābuntur, praesertim cum dēlātōrī locus nōn sit.So, although they were not confirmed by the will, they will be observed by me as if they had been confirmed, especially since there is no opening for an informer.
Ep. 2.16.4Nam sī verendum esset nē quod ego dedissem populus ēriperet, cūnctantior fortasse et cautior esse dēbērem;For if there were reason to fear that the people might snatch away what I had given, I ought perhaps to be more hesitant and cautious; Ep. 2.16.4cum vērō liceat hērēdī dōnāre, quod in hērēditāte subsēdit, nihil est quod obstet illī meae lēgī, cui pūblicae lēgēs nōn repugnant.but since an heir is allowed to give away what has remained in the inheritance, there is nothing to stand in the way of that law of mine, which the public laws do not oppose. Ep. 2.16.4Valē.Farewell.