pecunia non olet

Latin

Etymology

Literally “money does not stink”. According to Suetonius, this sentence was Vespasian's reply to his son Titus, complaining about the urine tax he had imposed.

Compare English where there's muck there's brass.

Pronunciation

Phrase

pecūnia nōn olet

  1. money does not smell (the value of money is not affected by the business it comes from, even from the most unpleasant one)

Descendants

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