Money doesn't smell. Public toilet tax
Every day, every person must use two things - the toilet and money. But few people think about, or even know, that these two things are not only interconnected, but are also the “parents,” so to speak, of the catchphrase “money has no smell.” In the original, this Latin catchphrase sounds like this: Pecunia non olet (from the Latin Aes non olet - “money does not smell”). Where did the expression “money has no smell” come from?
The history of the appearance of this catchphrase goes back to the distant 69-79 years of our era and is associated with Rome. During this period, the post of Roman emperor was held by a certain Vespasian. According to various historical data, this emperor was a fairly prominent statesman with a number of advantages. He was distinguished, first of all, by his extreme frugality and ingenuity. Being in the role of head of his state, Vespasian tried in every possible way to fill the treasury, and therefore showed his resourcefulness in introducing new taxes.
It is worth noting that during this period, a sewer system already existed in Rome, created during the reign of the fifth king of Ancient Rome, Lucius Tarquinius Prisca, who ruled from 616 to 579 BC. This sewer was called the Great Cloaca (Cloaca Maxima). It is worth noting that this sewer system exists to this day, and even functions, however, not like all modern sewers, but as storm sewer. The width of its channel is 3 meters wide and 4 meters deep. Gradually, with the development of the sewer system, public toilets began to appear (latrins - from the Latin “latrina”). The cloaca was the main channel into which sewage from city baths and public toilets was collected using various branches from it. There were branches all over the city, and there were even those that collected sewage from private houses. However, the appearance of public toilets was also preceded by the beginning of the formation in civilized Europe of such concepts as “shame,” “embarrassment,” and “public morality.” Thus, scientists attribute the birth of the first toilets to the Hellenistic era (323 BC - 30 AD).
During archaeological excavations in Rome, it was found that a toilet existed in almost every home. Moreover, not only on the first floors. Sewer drain pipes made it possible to build toilets even on the second floors of residential buildings. In addition, public toilets also began to appear, because civilized people had already grown to the level where they began to understand that not all things should be available for public viewing, and in addition, there are some things of a hygienic and intimate nature that require separate room. The very first public toilets appeared in gymnasiums (schools where physical education was taught, hence the name of the famous sports discipline “gymnastics”) and were installed for the purpose of maintaining personal hygiene and sanitation. Public Roman toilets were distinguished by their sufficient comfort. They were equipped with marble seats, and also connected to a fairly developed plumbing system - sewage was washed away by the flow of water, first into the Tiber, and then into the Mediterranean Sea.
Who said money doesn't smell?
Having come to power, Vespasian decided to introduce a tax on Roman latrines - latrines, i.e. public toilets. This tax was called cloacarium. Since the idea of paying for public toilets belongs to Vespasian, it is believed that it was he who said the well-known expression “money has no smell” today. It is unlikely that he said this phrase verbatim; no one can verify this today. However, there is some written evidence that Vespasian is the author of this catchphrase. This expression is first found in the work of Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus “The Lives of the Twelve Caesars”, but this phrase is not given there in the form of direct speech of the Roman emperor, but the situation is described as follows.
Vespasian's son Titus reacted negatively to this decision father and condemned him for getting to the outhouses and taxing even them. Some time passed, and the cloacarium gave a significant increase to the state treasury. Then, when this money was received, Vespasian had a conversation with his son, during which he took one coin from the first profit, brought it to his son's nose and asked him if he smelled an unpleasant odor. Titus' answer to the question was "no." Hearing this, the emperor said, “But still, it is made of urine.”
Today, this catchphrase is known to absolutely everyone and is interpreted as follows: the money was not earned in a completely clean or honest way.
The now widely known and used phrase “money doesn’t smell” has ancient origins. The catchphrase was born during an instructive conversation between the Roman emperor and his son.
Books keep history
The history of the origin of the expression “money has no smell” has reached our days thanks to a book called “The Lives of the Twelve Caesars,” which is the most valuable monument of Roman literature. Its author is the ancient Roman historian, encyclopedist Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus. He was very popular, the information he collected was often quoted, and his descriptions of emperors were often imitated.
The writer fascinatingly described historical events and details from the life of the rulers. He revealed in detail biographical information about them, paying attention not only to their appearance and habits, but also personal contribution each in the development of the Roman Empire. The events described in the book refer to the period when Rome from a republic became an Empire.
Divine Vespasian and his love of money
One of the great emperors whose life was described by the author of the book is Titus Flavius Vespasian, who was nicknamed the Divine Vespasian. His family was not noble. When his family came to power, the empire was greatly weakened by rebellions.
A distinctive feature of Vespasian, for which he was rightly reproached, according to the writer, was the love of money. The emperor introduced new heavy taxes and significantly increased tribute from the provinces. He bought things only for the purpose of selling them later at a profit. Without any hesitation, he sold job seekers to job seekers and excuses to defendants, without knowing whether they were innocent or guilty. He deliberately promoted the most predatory officials, as his contemporaries believed, to higher positions in order to give them the opportunity to profit and then sue them. Many believed that he was greedy by nature.
It was Vespasian who said “money has no smell.” Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus described this incident in his book. The son reproached Vespasian for taxing even the outhouses. Then the emperor, taking a coin from the first profit received, stuck it under his child’s nose and asked if it gave off a stench. To which the answer was “no”. The proverb “money has no smell” that arose later became widely used.
The Roman satirist Decimus Junius Juvenal used this story with Emperor Vespasian in his satire: “The smell of income is good, whatever its origin.” Thus, he also contributed to ensuring that the expression “money has no smell” was not forgotten.
Difficult times call for difficult decisions
Not everyone condemned the emperor for greed. Some, on the contrary, believed that he was forced to tighten extortion and extortion by the extreme poverty of the imperial and state treasury. Vespasian did not hide this. At the very beginning of his reign, he declared that to raise the state to its feet, he needed forty billion sesterces.
And this, according to the author of the book, was similar to the truth, since the emperor provided the best use for the “badly acquired money.” He was generous to all classes. Many cities that suffered from earthquakes and fires were rebuilt better than before. He showed the greatest care for talents and arts.
Thus, behind the popular and half-joking saying “money doesn’t smell” there is a serious economic crisis ancient state and the controversial, but still very creative decisions of the emperor.
The now widely known and used phrase “money doesn’t smell” has ancient origins. The catchphrase was born during an instructive conversation between the Roman emperor and his son.
Books keep history
The history of the origin of the expression “money has no smell” has reached our days thanks to a book called “The Lives of the Twelve Caesars,” which is the most valuable monument of Roman literature. Its author is the ancient Roman historian, encyclopedist Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus. He was very popular, the information he collected was often quoted, and his descriptions of emperors were often imitated.
The writer fascinatingly described historical events and details from the life of the rulers. He revealed in detail biographical information about them, paying attention not only to their appearance and habits, but also to the personal contribution of each to the development of the Roman Empire. The events described in the book refer to the period when Rome from a republic became an Empire.
Divine Vespasian and his love of money
One of the great emperors whose life was described by the author of the book is Titus Flavius Vespasian, who was nicknamed the Divine Vespasian. His family was not noble. When his family came to power, the empire was greatly weakened by rebellions.
A distinctive feature of Vespasian, for which he was rightly reproached, according to the writer, was the love of money. The emperor introduced new heavy taxes and significantly increased tribute from the provinces. He bought things only for the purpose of selling them later at a profit. Without any hesitation, he sold job seekers to job seekers and excuses to defendants, without knowing whether they were innocent or guilty. He deliberately promoted the most predatory officials, as his contemporaries believed, to higher positions in order to give them the opportunity to profit and then sue them. Many believed that he was greedy by nature.
It was Vespasian who said “money has no smell.” Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus described this incident in his book. The son reproached Vespasian for taxing even the outhouses. Then the emperor, taking a coin from the first profit received, stuck it under his child’s nose and asked if it gave off a stench. To which the answer was “no”. The proverb “money has no smell” that arose later became widely used.
The Roman satirist Decimus Junius Juvenal used this story with Emperor Vespasian in his satire: “The smell of income is good, whatever its origin.” Thus, he also contributed to ensuring that the expression “money has no smell” was not forgotten.
Difficult times call for difficult decisions
Not everyone condemned the emperor for greed. Some, on the contrary, believed that he was forced to tighten extortion and extortion by the extreme poverty of the imperial and state treasury. Vespasian did not hide this. At the very beginning of his reign, he declared that to raise the state to its feet, he needed forty billion sesterces.
And this, according to the author of the book, was similar to the truth, since the emperor provided the best use for the “badly acquired money.” He was generous to all classes. Many cities that suffered from earthquakes and fires were rebuilt better than before. He showed the greatest care for talents and arts.
Thus, behind the popular and half-joking saying “money has no smell” there is a serious economic crisis of the ancient state and controversial, but still very creative decisions of the emperor.
The smell of money
Nowadays, there is hardly a person who has not used or heard the expression “ money doesn't smell" Many of us, when we first heard this expression, sniffed the bills and noted that they still smelled. Where does this expression come from?
The history of the origin of the expression “money doesn’t smell”
“If you don’t like having to constantly work
In the camp, if the sound of trumpets makes your stomach weak,
Sound of horns, then start trading:
stock up on what you can resell for half the price,
but just don’t disdain any kind of goods,
even if we had to hide it behind the Tiber,
And don't think that there is any difference between
With damp skin and perfume: the smell of profit is good.”
Unless Juvenal repeated the idea contained in the anecdote about the Roman emperor Vespasian. This is what he said in “Life”
twelve Caesars" by Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus:
“Titus (Titus Flavius Vespasian - Roman emperor from the Flavian dynasty, who reigned from 79 to 81) reproached his father (Vespasian) for taxing the outhouses; he took a coin from the first profit, brought it to his nose and asked if it stank. “No,” answered Titus. “But this is money from urine,” said Vespasian.”
Since then winged expression Pecunia non olet(“money has no smell”) and is attributed to the Roman emperor Vespasian, who lived in the first century AD and founded the Flavian dynasty.
Synonyms for the expression “money doesn’t smell”
If we approach the phraseology primitively, then “money doesn’t smell” means promiscuity in acquiring wealth: “In another time, Koreiko himself would have bought such an interesting book, but now he even grimaced in horror. The first phrase was outlined in blue pencil and read: “All large current conditions acquired in the most dishonest way" (Ilf and Petrov “The Golden Calf”, Chapter 10, “Telegram from the Karamazov Brothers”). In fact, the expression has a deeper meaning.
The popular expression “money has no smell” belongs to the Roman Emperor Vespasian, who reigned from 69 to 79. ad. Centuries have “polished” this phrase year after year, giving it the meaning that it carries now.
History of the expression
Together with the power of Titus Flavius Vespasian, he received a country devastated by a long civil war. The new emperor needed to restore financial position Rome, and as soon as possible. He was confident that a good goal justifies any means, and therefore the first thing he did was increase the existing taxes in the country and introduce new ones.
One such tax is the fee for using a public toilet. Due to the fact that such buildings were built of marble and looked very rich and presentable, not everyone could visit here. However, the main burden of the tax fell not on visitors, but on laundries and dyehouses that used liquid human waste products in their work. It was not considered a shameful product, but a very useful raw material. This, however, does not change the essence of the matter.
One day, the emperor's heir Titus, annoyed by unflattering conversations about his father, came to the ruler and reproached him for an unworthy tax. Vespasian asked his son to smell the money and asked if it smelled. Having received a negative answer, the emperor said: “Money has no smell.”
Despite popular discontent, the tax fulfilled its purpose and replenished the state treasury.
Interesting fact: It should be taken into account that in Ancient Rome“latrins” (toilets) were intended not only for the natural needs of the body. There were no screens or partitions here, and the whole process took place right in front of everyone present. True, this bothered few people. It was in a public restroom that one could make useful acquaintances, discuss pressing problems, and receive a long-awaited invitation to dinner at a wealthy home. For this reason, people often came here not just to relieve themselves.
What does the catchphrase mean?
In the modern understanding, the catchphrase “money doesn’t smell” is used only in a figurative sense. If money brings income, it does not matter how exactly it was earned. Usually the phrase has a disapproving connotation. People call funds obtained through dubious means dirty. However, this expression is to the liking of those who do not disdain anything for personal gain.
