[German version]

Roman gentile presumably of Etruscan origin (Schulze, 259). The best-known representative is V. Mena. The auctioneer, evidently of non-free origin, who by gift of L. Marcius [I 13] Philippus becomes a farmer and thereby ultimately falls into misfortune (Hor. Epist. 1,7,46-95), is a constructed figure. Horace uses him as his fourth and most detailed example of the problems gifts from patrons could cause.

Bartels, Jens (Bonn)