Aiunt, Maenium et scurrilitate et nepotatu notissimum Romae fuisse. Hic post patrimonium adrosum Kalendis Ianuariis in Capitolio clara voce optavit, ut quadringenta milia numorum aeris alieni haberet. Quaerente quodam, quid sibi vellet, quod tam sollemni die aes alienum habere optaret: Noli mirari, inquit, octingenta debeo. Hic fertur, domo sua, quam ad forum spectantem habuerat, divendita, unam columnam [ibi] sibi excepisse, unde gladiatores spectaret, quae ex eo Maenii columna nominabatur.

They say that Maenius was very well known in Rome for buffoonery and for extravagance. This man, after his inheritance had been nibbled away, on the Kalends of January on the Capitolium, in a loud voice wished that he had 40,000 sesterces of debt. When somebody asked him what he meant, by wishing on such a solemn day to have debts, he said, "don' t be amazed-- I have 80,000." This man is said to have taken one column for himself from his house, which had a view of the forum, when it was sold, so that he could watch the gladiatorial games from it; for this reason it was called the Column of Maenius.