the saying attributed to him is probably apocryphal, but ben trovato
Example sentencesExamples
‘As the Italians say, ‘Se non vero, e ben trovato’ - if it isn't true, it's such a good story that it ought to be.
As with heritage, life histories become coherent and credible only by invention, often in defiance of known fact. They persuade us not as vero but ben trovato.
When reading a manuscript from 1875 the Italian proverb ‘sinon e vero, e ben trovato’ was cited.
"After all, said she to herself, though it was not absolutely true, it was ben trovato, it was as near the truth, perhaps, as possible".
I cannot ask you to accept my conjectures after all of my warnings at the outset of this paper, but will be content if you say ‘Si non è vero, è ben trovato,’ ‘If it isn't true, it's well contrived.’