"Pecunia non olet."
— Vespasian
January 1, 1970
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Added on April 10, 2026
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Roman emperors
People from Lazio
Military leaders from Rome
Original Language: English
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Money does not smell. — Paraphrase of Suetonius, Life of Vespasian, ch. 23, 3. Vespasian's son Titus complained about the disgusting nature of the tax, his father held up a gold coin and asked whether he felt offended by its smell (sciscitans num odore offenderetur). When Titus said "No", Vespasian replied, "Yet it comes from urine" (Atqui ex lotio est). Cf. Dio Cassius, Roman History, bk. 65, ch. 14.5
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Money does not smell. — Paraphrase of Suetonius, Life of Vespasian, ch. 23, 3. Vespasian's son Titus complained about the disgusting nature of the tax, his father held up a gold coin and asked whether he felt offended by its smell (sciscitans num odore offenderetur). When Titus said "No", Vespasian replied, "Yet it comes from urine" (Atqui ex lotio est). Cf. Dio Cassius, Roman History, bk. 65, ch. 14.5