Meaning & Analysis
The pleasure derived from profit is inherently good, regardless of its source or the methods used to obtain it. The 'savor' or 'smell' of gain is always sweet.
Insights
Moral Indifference
The proverb is a cynical commentary on the power of greed, suggesting that the allure of financial reward can make a person indifferent to the ethical implications of their actions. The 'sweetness' of profit effectively masks the foulness of its origin.
The Ends Justify the Means
It embodies the principle that a profitable outcome is its own justification. The desirability of the end result (the 'gain') is presented as sufficient to excuse or overlook any unpleasant or immoral means used to achieve it.
Profit as a Universal Motivator
The proverb posits profit as a universal and primary human motivator, so powerful that its appeal can override other fundamental values, such as honor, integrity, or social responsibility.
Classical Roots and Vespasian's Rule
The proverb's core is rooted in the classical anecdote of the Roman Emperor Vespasian's 'urine tax'. When criticized for the unsavory source of revenue, he famously retorted, 'Pecunia non olet' ('Money does not stink'), a sentiment directly echoed in the 1628 citation. This historical context reveals the proverb as a timeless observation on the pragmatism of statecraft and commerce.
Psychology of Rationalization
This proverb exposes the psychological mechanism of rationalization, where the desirability of a reward (gain) overrides the moral discomfort of the means used to acquire it. The 'sweetness' of the profit serves to neutralize or mask any associated ethical 'bad odor', illustrating how humans justify questionable actions when they are profitable.
Amoral Economic Pragmatism
The proverb reflects a cynical but realistic perspective on economic motivation, suggesting that the drive for profit is a fundamental force that can supersede moral, social, or aesthetic objections. The cross-referenced proverb, 'So we get the chink we will bear with the stink', reinforces this amoral, pragmatic viewpoint.
Rhetorical Devices
Synesthesia
The proverb employs synesthesia by blending an abstract concept ('gain') with a sensory experience ('savors sweetly'). This makes the abstract idea of profit feel tangible and viscerally appealing.
Hyperbole
The phrase 'from anything' is a hyperbolic statement that intentionally exaggerates to emphasize that absolutely no source of profit, no matter how tainted, is considered unacceptable.
Metaphor
'Savor' and 'sweetly' are used as metaphors for the pleasure and desirability associated with financial profit, framing an economic concept in sensory terms.
Transcription
Quotations
Lucri bonus est odor ex re qualibet.
Savour of lucre is good, howsoever a man come by it.
Smell of gaine makes labour sweet.
These are your In-comes, remember your own proverb, the savour of every gaine smelt sweet.
Of al odors he likes best the smel of Vrine, and holds Vespatianis rule, that no gaine is unsauory.
Cross References
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
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