'Money Doesn't Smell.' When the son of the Roman emperor Vesp | Forbidden History

"Money Doesn't Smell."

When the son of the Roman emperor Vespasian reproached him for imposing a tax on public latrines, the emperor showed him the money from the tax and asked if it smelled. On receiving a negative answer, Vespasian said: "But they are from urine."
Hence the expression "money does not smell.