"It is criminal to steal a purse, daring to steal a fortune, a mark of greatness to steal a crown. The blame diminishes as the guilt increases"

Friedrich Schiller’s words explore the paradoxical nature of guilt, blame, and society’s perception of transgression according to scale and ambition. Petty theft, such as stealing a purse, is universally condemned and labeled as criminal. Yet as the magnitude of the crime grows—from the theft of wealth to the usurpation of a crown—social judgment transforms. Stealing a fortune becomes “daring,” suggesting that society grudgingly admires the audacity involved in large-scale crimes. Finally, the act of seizing a crown, the ultimate symbol of power, is described as a “mark of greatness,” positioning such a transgressor alongside history’s most famous conquerors and rulers.

Central to Schiller’s statement is the ironic observation that, as wrongdoing increases in scope, society’s moral outrage often fades. The guilt or immorality is objectively greater, but the collective blame is sharply diminished. Those who commit vast deeds—whether by revolution or conquest—may be condemned by law, yet are frequently admired for their courage, vision, or cunning. The immense scale of their actions appears to remove them from ordinary moral calculations, turning them into figures of historical significance rather than mere criminals.

The quote calls attention to how narratives of power and ambition recast transgression. Robbing a king, orchestrating a coup, or manipulating a nation may be recounted as legends of ambition or political genius, while those who steal on a small scale remain forever condemned. This inversion reflects both the allure of ambition in the public imagination and the unsettling reality that societies often celebrate those who succeed spectacularly, regardless of the means. Schiller thus provokes reflection about justice, power, and the moral blindness that can accompany admiration for audacity and greatness at the expense of ethical consistency.