A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

a Roman jurist, whose writings were apparently known to Pomponius (Dig. 4. tit. 3. s. 1.4). His name Sextus appears in a passage of Paulus (Dig. 4. tit. 8. s. 32.20), and in other passages. Pedius was younger than Ofilius [OFILIUS], or at least a contemporary (Dig. 14. tit. 1. s. 1.9): and the same remark applies to Sabinus (Dig. 50. tit. 6. s. 13.1), where Massurius Sabinus is meant. He is most frequently cited by Paulus and Ulpian. He is also cited by Julian (Dig. 3. tit. 5. s. 6.9). We may, therefore, conclude that he lived before the time of Hadrian. He wrote Libri ad Edictum, of which the twenty-fifth is quoted by Paulus (Dig. 37. tit. 1. s. 6.2). He also wrote Libri de Stipulationibus (12. tit. 1. s. 6). The passages which are cited from him show that he had a true perception of the right method of legal interpretation; for instance, he says, in a passage quoted by Paulus, "it is best

not to scrutinize the proper signification of words, but mainly what the testator has intended to declare ; in the next place, what is the opinion of those who live in each district" (De Instructo vel Instrumento Legato, Dig. 33. tit. 7. s. 18.3). In another passage quoted by Ulpian (Dig. 1. tit. 3. s. 13), Pedius observes "that when one or two things are introduced by a lex, it is a good ground for supplying the rest which tends to the same useful purpose, by interpretation, or at least by jurisdictio." (Grotius, Vitae Jurisconsultorum ; Zimmern, Geschichte des Raöm. Privatrechts, p. 333; the passages of the Digest in which Sextus Pedius is cited are collected by Wieling, Jurisprudentia Restitula, p. 335.)

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