Artemidorus wrote: “To dreame that one steales is not good, except to him which would deceive an other.”
The historical account
These are the authors’ historical interpretations. Their forecasts and period judgments are preserved as source material, not as predictions or established meanings for your dream.
Artemidorus; English translation attributed to Robert Wood
The Interpretation of Dreams · 1644; EEBO-TCP A25906 transcription
Of theft, Sacriledge, and Lying. · Book 3, encoded section 122 · Text transcription
Original source (English)
To dreame that one steales is not good, except to him which would deceive an other. By how much rirher, and safely garded the thing is, which one dreames he steales, so much the greater danger it is to the dreamer, for it is likely the dreame subiects the dreamer, to the same paine, that the law doth theeues. To commit a sacriledge in a dreame, is most ill to all, except to Sacrificers, and Prophets, for by custome they receive, and devide che first fruites, of oblations, and are alwaies nourished by their Gods, and take not all openly. To tell a lie in a dreame, is not good, except to Players, and iesters, which practise it: it is lesse evill to lie to strangers, then to his owne countrymen, for it signifieth great missfortunes, yea though one dreame to lie to his friends, in things of very small importance.
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Also indexed as: of theft, sacriledge, and lying · theft · sacriledge · lying
Attributed historical writing. Historical claims are not established predictions or universal psychological meanings. Updated 2026-10-12. Read our approach and sources.