--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A guilty person sometimes has the luck to…" description: "\"“A guilty person sometimes has the luck to escape detection, but never to feel sure of it.”\" — Lucius Annaeus Seneca" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/lucius-annaeus-seneca-3079_guilt_a-guilty-person-sometimes-has-the-luck-t_1368692.jpg" --- # A guilty person sometimes has the luck to escape… ![“A guilty person sometimes has the luck to escape detection, but never to feel sure of it.” quote by Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/lucius-annaeus-seneca-3079_guilt_a-guilty-person-sometimes-has-the-luck-t_1368692.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/lucius-annaeus-seneca-3079_guilt_a-guilty-person-sometimes-has-the-luck-t_1368692.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/lucius-annaeus-seneca-3079_guilt_a-guilty-person-sometimes-has-the-luck-t_1368692.jpg) > ““A guilty person sometimes has the luck to escape detection, but never to feel sure of it.”” [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A guilty person may escape being caught, but can never be certain of that safety, living under constant doubt. **In simple terms:** Guilt breeds perpetual uncertainty. Key Takeaway Seek honesty to avoid lingering doubt. Themes guilt trust security Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - legal defense - personal integrity - risk assessment - mental health counseling Key Concepts ethics psychology Stoicism Questions to Reflect On - What does guilt teach you about honesty? - How can one find peace after wrongdoing? A Different Perspective Some may feel secure despite guilt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Guilty person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty-person/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) ## Related quotes > [There's no trajectory to follow. Even if you were to say, 'OK, I'm going to model my ascent based on this other person's,' luck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-williams/there-s-no-trajectory-to-follow-even-if-you-were-to-say-ok-i-m-going/) [Allison Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-williams/) > [“Everyone dreams of finding their soulmate. It's a universal quest. All over the world millions of people are looking for their true love, their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-potter/everyone-dreams-of-finding-their-soulmate-it-s-a-universal-quest-all/) [Alexandra Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-potter/) > [It is better and more satisfactory to acquit a thousand guilty persons than to put a single innocent one to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/it-is-better-and-more-satisfactory-to-acquit-a-thousand-guilty/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [I made no pretense of doing balanced reporting about murder. I was appalled by defense attorneys who would do anything to win an acquittal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominick-dunne/i-made-no-pretense-of-doing-balanced-reporting-about-murder-i-was/) [Dominick Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominick-dunne/) > [For if it is not lawful to take the law into our own hands and slay even a guilty person, whose death no public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-if-it-is-not-lawful-to-take-the-law-into-our-own-hands-and-slay/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [As to adultery, let it be held disgraceful, in general, for any man or woman to be found in any way unfaithful when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/as-to-adultery-let-it-be-held-disgraceful-in-general-for-any-man-or/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [It is better that ten guilty persons escape than one innocent suffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/it-is-better-that-ten-guilty-persons-escape-than-one-innocent-suffer/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [“Teach those who are ignorant as many things as possible; society is culpable, in that it does not afford instruction gratis; it is responsible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/teach-those-who-are-ignorant-as-many-things-as-possible-society-is/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Let wickedness escape as it may at the bar, it never fails of doing justice upon itself; for every guilty person is his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/let-wickedness-escape-as-it-may-at-the-bar-it-never-fails-of-doing/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Our constitutionally-based criminal justice system places a high value on protecting the innocent. Among its central tenets is the idea that it is better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shapiro/our-constitutionally-based-criminal-justice-system-places-a-high/) [Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shapiro/) > [If you wish to discover the guilty person, first find out to whom the crime might be useful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/if-you-wish-to-discover-the-guilty-person-first-find-out-to-whom-the/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [A guilty conscience never feels secure. The feeling of Guilt that overwhelmes you is the nerve of sorrow that will never let you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kev-moores/a-guilty-conscience-never-feels-secure-the-feeling-of-guilt-that/) Kev Moores > [“Nobody is entirely satisfied with the condition in which he or she lives: we often have the impression that these conditions are getting worse.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tzvetan-todorov/nobody-is-entirely-satisfied-with-the-condition-in-which-he-or-she/) [Tzvetan Todorov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tzvetan-todorov/) > [“Lastly, I accuse the first court-martial of having violated the law by condemning an accused person on one document kept secret, and I accuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/lastly-i-accuse-the-first-court-martial-of-having-violated-the-law-by/) [Émile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [“It is better for a leader to make mistake in forgiving (a guilty person) than making a mistake in punishing (an innocent).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-better-for-a-leader-to-make-mistake-in-forgiving-a-guilty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Lucius Annaeus Seneca > [It's not because things are difficult that we dare not venture. It's because we dare not venture that they are difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/it-s-not-because-things-are-difficult-that-we-dare-not-venture-it-s/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [“Often a very old man has no other proof of his long life than his age.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/often-a-very-old-man-has-no-other-proof-of-his-long-life-than-his-age/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [“But nothing will help quite so much as just keeping quiet, talking with other people as little as possible, with yourself as much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/but-nothing-will-help-quite-so-much-as-just-keeping-quiet-talking/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [“Qui mori didicit servire dedidicit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/qui-mori-didicit-servire-dedidicit/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [“You should … live in such a way that there is nothing which you could not as easily tell your enemy as keep to yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/you-should-live-in-such-a-way-that-there-is-nothing-which-you-could/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [A physician is not angry at the intemperance of a mad patient, nor does he take it ill to be railed at by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/a-physician-is-not-angry-at-the-intemperance-of-a-mad-patient-nor/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [It even helps stupid people to try hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/it-even-helps-stupid-people-to-try-hard/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [The mind that is anxious about the future is miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/the-mind-that-is-anxious-about-the-future-is-miserable/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [“It is a great man that can treat his earthenware as if it was silver, and a man who treats his silver as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/it-is-a-great-man-that-can-treat-his-earthenware-as-if-it-was-silver/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [“Conversation has a kind of charm about it, an insinuating and insidious something that elicits secrets just like love or liquor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/conversation-has-a-kind-of-charm-about-it-an-insinuating-and/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [“I am not born for one corner; the whole world is my native land.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/i-am-not-born-for-one-corner-the-whole-world-is-my-native-land/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [“As often as I have been amongst men, I have returned less a man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/as-often-as-i-have-been-amongst-men-i-have-returned-less-a-man/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [A punishment to some, to some a gift, and to many a favor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/a-punishment-to-some-to-some-a-gift-and-to-many-a-favor/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [“Once you have rid yourself of the affliction there, though, every change of scene will become a pleasure. You may be banished to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/once-you-have-rid-yourself-of-the-affliction-there-though-every/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [“When a person spends all his time in foreign travel, he ends by having many acquaintances, but no friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/when-a-person-spends-all-his-time-in-foreign-travel-he-ends-by-having/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) [Explore all 133 Lucius Annaeus Seneca quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) ## More Guilt quotes > [Never fight on the wrong side; you might win but the burden of guilt is more than a loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-salan/never-fight-on-the-wrong-side-you-might-win-but-the-burden-of-guilt/) [Lilian Salan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-salan/) > [“As parents who make every effort we can to raise our children in loving security, we do not need to feel more guilt than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/as-parents-who-make-every-effort-we-can-to-raise-our-children-in/) [Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/) > [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [“Even in the miserable guilt we feel over our beastlike insensitivity, the glory of God shines. If God were not gloriously desirable, why would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/even-in-the-miserable-guilt-we-feel-over-our-beastlike-insensitivity/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Regrets are just a way for the foolish and the guilty to pass the time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gensoumaden-saiyuki/regrets-are-just-a-way-for-the-foolish-and-the-guilty-to-pass-the-time/) Gensoumaden Saiyuki > [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Money should not be in the hands of individuals; otherwise it will create this problem of being burdened with guilt. And money can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/money-should-not-be-in-the-hands-of-individuals-otherwise-it-will/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Food ... love ... mother ... career ... Live every day to the fullest. Partake of the four basic guilt groups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-guisewite/food-love-mother-career-live-every-day-to-the-fullest-partake-of-the/) [Cathy Guisewite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-guisewite/) > [Anger was better than tears, better than grief, better than guilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anger-was-better-than-tears-better-than-grief-better-than-guilt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Phil and Hannah had decided that Christian guilt was better than bad math”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhoda-janzen/phil-and-hannah-had-decided-that-christian-guilt-was-better-than-bad/) [rhoda janzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhoda-janzen/) > [No amount of guilt can solve the past & No amount of anxiety can change the future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananymous/no-amount-of-guilt-can-solve-the-past-no-amount-of-anxiety-can-change/) [Ananymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananymous/) > [The essence of having fun is enjoying without guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-essence-of-having-fun-is-enjoying-without-guilt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If all the world hated you and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved of you and absolved you from guilt, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-all-the-world-hated-you-and-believed-you-wicked-while-your-own/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) [Browse all 2,943 Guilt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A guilty person sometimes has the luck to escape detection, but never to feel sure of it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lucius Annaeus Seneca" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/a-guilty-person-sometimes-has-the-luck-to-escape-detection-but-never/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Guilt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/a-guilty-person-sometimes-has-the-luck-to-escape-detection-but-never/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/lucius-annaeus-seneca-3079_guilt_a-guilty-person-sometimes-has-the-luck-t_1368692.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/lucius-annaeus-seneca-3079_guilt_a-guilty-person-sometimes-has-the-luck-t_1368692.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/lucius-annaeus-seneca-3079_guilt_a-guilty-person-sometimes-has-the-luck-t_1368692.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A guilty person sometimes has the luck to escape detection, but never to feel sure of it.” — Lucius Annaeus Seneca", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lucius Annaeus Seneca", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A guilty person sometimes has the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/a-guilty-person-sometimes-has-the-luck-to-escape-detection-but-never/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/a-guilty-person-sometimes-has-the-luck-to-escape-detection-but-never/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```