“Successful and fortunate crime is called virtue.”
- c. 4 BC – AD 65
- Roman
- Philosopher, Statesman, Dramatist, Stoic Thinker, Advisor to Emperor Nero
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Quote
“Successful and fortunate crime is called virtue.”
Explanation
When wrongdoing succeeds, society often rebrands it as noble or admirable. Seneca the Younger criticizes the tendency of people to confuse power or success with moral worth. A crime that achieves its goal—especially one that brings fortune or dominance—is too often praised as cleverness, leadership, or strength, while its unethical nature is ignored or forgotten.
This observation reflects a core Stoic concern with true virtue versus superficial appearances. Seneca warns that external outcomes—like wealth, fame, or victory—do not define moral goodness. Real virtue is measured by inner integrity and justice, not by the rewards an act produces. When society celebrates success without examining how it was gained, it abandons principle for pragmatism.
In the modern world, this quote is a sharp critique of corrupt leadership, corporate greed, or political manipulation, where unethical actions are excused—or even admired—because they “worked.” Seneca’s wisdom urges us to judge actions not by their success, but by their righteousness, reminding us that true virtue needs no disguise, and true justice cannot be bought by results.
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