Jim’s Reviews > The Classical Compendium: A Miscellany of Scandalous Gossip, Bawdy Jokes, Peculiar Facts, and Bad Behavior from the Ancient Greeks and Romans > Status Update

When a young man came to thank Vespasian for being given a [military] commission, Vespasian recoiled in disgust at the reek of perfume on the man. He revoked the appointment on the spot, commenting: 'I would rather you smelled of garlic.'