Shakespeare On Judges Who Steal Themselves.

I became enamored with the following Shakespeare quote when I found it in a couple of books of Shakespeare quotes. That along with the one about making a scarecrow of the law. I also shared the second one in a couple of places then. Shakespeare quotes like that are ironic and universal. Because so much has changed, but at the same time so little has changed.

AI Overview

The phrase "Thieves for their robbery have authority" is a line from William Shakespeare's play, Measure for Measure, and it means that when corrupt judges act like thieves themselves, they give a form of legitimacy to actual thieves. The line highlights a theme of hypocritical authority, suggesting that the theft of power or justice by those in authority is a greater transgression than the theft of property by common criminals.

Meaning: The saying suggests that the moral authority of law enforcers is forfeited when they engage in corrupt practices, such as "stealing themselves" through unethical or illegal actions.

Significance: It was a way for Shakespeare to critique hypocrisy and the abuse of power by those in positions of authority. When corrupt judges "steal" by perverting justice, they implicitly empower actual thieves who are then acting within a system where even the authority figures are corrupt.

Context: The line is part of a larger exploration of justice, mercy, and the rule of law in Measure for Measure, a play that examines how public laws and private desires interact.