Heres non modo tacet, sed ne aditionem quidem hereditatis facit.

Heres is the nominative singular of hērēs, meaning heir.

It is the subject of both verbs in the sentence:

• tacet = is silent / keeps silent
• facit = does / makes

So Heres is the person who is both staying silent and not taking the next step mentioned in the sentence.

Non modo ... sed ... means not only ... but ....

Here it sets up a contrast or escalation:

• non modo tacet = he is not only silent
• sed ... facit = but ... he does ... / he does not even do ...

In this sentence, the second part is stronger than the first. The idea is:

• first, the heir is silent;
• more than that, he does not even go so far as to accept the inheritance.

So non modo ... sed ... often introduces a kind of climactic comparison: the second part is more striking.

Ne ... quidem means not even.

A very important point is that quidem usually comes after the word or phrase being emphasized, while ne comes before it. So the structure often surrounds the emphasized element.

Here:

• ne aditionem quidem hereditatis = not even the acceptance of the inheritance

So the phrase being emphasized is aditionem hereditatis.

This is a very common Latin pattern:

• ne hoc quidem = not even this
• ne ille quidem = not even that man
• ne aditionem quidem hereditatis = not even the acceptance of the inheritance

Because they do different jobs.

• non modo ... sed ... builds the overall pattern: not only ... but ...
• ne ... quidem strengthens the second half: but not even ...

So the full logic is:

• not only does the heir keep silent,
• but he does not even make acceptance of the inheritance.

Latin likes this kind of layered emphasis.

Because it is the direct object of facit.

• facit = he does / makes
• aditionem = the thing he does or makes

So grammatically:

• facit aditionem = he makes an acceptance or more naturally he makes formal acceptance

In Latin, many nouns derived from verbs can be used as objects like this.

Hereditatis is the genitive singular of hereditas, meaning inheritance.

It depends on aditionem:

• aditio hereditatis = acceptance of an inheritance

So this is a very normal noun + genitive construction:

• amor patris = love of a father / the father's love
• timor mortis = fear of death
• aditio hereditatis = acceptance of the inheritance

Here the genitive tells you what is being accepted.

This is a legal expression. It means acceptance of an inheritance or entry upon an inheritance.

In Roman law, an heir did not always simply become heir automatically in the way an English speaker might assume. In many cases there had to be a formal act of acceptance. That act is called aditio hereditatis.

So the sentence is not just talking about feelings or intentions. It refers to a specific legal step.

Yes, facere very often means to make or to do, but Latin also uses it in many idiomatic expressions where English would use a different verb.

So aditionem hereditatis facere means something like:

• to make acceptance of the inheritance
• more natural English: to accept the inheritance

This is very normal Latin style. English often prefers a simple verb where Latin uses facere plus a noun.

Literally, tacet means is silent or keeps silent.

Depending on context, it can suggest:

• not speaking,
• not replying,
• not stating a claim,
• not taking action publicly.

In this sentence, because it is followed by the legal phrase about accepting an inheritance, tacet probably suggests not merely physical silence, but also failure to respond or act.

Latin word order is flexible, and emphasis often matters more than a fixed pattern.

Here the structure highlights aditionem:

• ne aditionem quidem hereditatis

Since ne ... quidem surrounds what is emphasized, aditionem naturally comes between them. Then hereditatis follows as a dependent genitive.

So the order is not random. It is shaped by:

1. the special pattern ne ... quidem
2. the close connection between aditionem and hereditatis

Yes.

Latin often states the subject once and then uses multiple verbs with that same subject. So we understand:

• Heres tacet
• Heres ... facit

There is no need to repeat Heres before facit, because the subject is already clear.

Both are present active indicative, third person singular:

• tacet = he/she is silent / keeps silent
• facit = he/she does / makes

The present tense here can simply describe what is happening now, but in legal or argumentative prose it can also describe a person’s current stance or behavior in a general way:

• the heir keeps silent
• the heir does not even accept the inheritance

So the present may be understood as a straightforward present or as a vivid statement of fact.

Yes.

Although English often says heir without regard to gender, learners sometimes expect Latin nouns to be strictly masculine or feminine by meaning. But hērēs can refer to either a male heir or a female heir, depending on context.

So grammatically it is one noun, but the real-world gender depends on who the heir is.

Yes, two things stand out as especially idiomatic:

1. non modo ... sed ...

   • a standard Latin pattern for not only ... but ...

2. aditionem hereditatis facere

   • a legal expression meaning to accept the inheritance

So even if each word seems simple on its own, the sentence is built from standard Latin expressions rather than word-for-word English-style phrasing.