The etymology of the Latin word lex is a subject of controversy.
Some authorities derive it from the Old Norse lög, neuter plural
of lag, which would be the root of the English law, signifying
"to put in order", "put in place". Others derive it from the
Latin legere, "to read", thus giving it an exclusively Latin
origin (Bréal, "Sur l'origine des mots désignant le droit et la
loi en latin" in "Nouvelle Revue historique de droit français et
étranger", VII, Paris, 1883, 610-11). We shall not examine here
the divers meanings of the word law, but merely treat of certain
expressions beginning with the word lex or leges. The word lex
followed by a personal name in the feminine gender (Lex Julia,
Lex Papia Poppæa) signified, in Roman Law, a lex rogata, i.e. a
legislative enactment that was the outcome of an interrogation
(from rogare) by the magistrate of the Roman people: the
magistrate proposed the law to the citizens, and they declared
their acceptance. The law was called by the family name of the
author or autho