2. Also called TERENTILLA, the wife of Maecenas. Dio Cassius (54.3) speaks of her as a sister of Murena and of Proculeius. The full name of this Murena was A. Terentius Varro Murena: he was perhaps the son of L. Licinius Murena, who was consul B. C. 62, and was adopted by A. Terentius Varro. Murena would thus have been the adopted brother of Terentia: Proculeius was probably only the cousin of Murena. [See Vol. III. p. 540b.]
We know nothing of the early history of Terentia, nor the time of her marriage with Maecenas. She was a very beautiful woman, and as licentious as most of the Roman ladies of her age. She was one of the favourite mistresses of Augustus; and Dio Cassius relates (54.19) that there was a report at Rome that the emperor visited Gaul in B. C. 16, simply to enjoy the society of Terentia unmolested by the lampoons which it gave occasion to at Rome. The intrigue between Augustus and Terentia is said by Dio Cassius to have disturbed the good understanding which subsisted between the emperor and his minister, and finally to have occasioned the disgrace of the latter. Maecenas however had not much right to complain of the conduct of his wife, for his own infidelities were notorious. But notwithstanding his numerous amours, Maecenas continued to his death deeply in love with his fair wife. Their quarrels, which were of frequent occurrence, mainly in consequence of the morose and haughty temper of Terentia, rarely lasted long, for the natural uxoriousness of Maecenas constantly prompted him to seek a reconciliation ; so that Seneca says (Ep. 114) he married a wife a thousand times, though he never had more than one. Once indeed they were divorced, but Maecenas tempted her back by presents (Dig. 24. tit. l. s. 64). Her influence over him was so great, that in spite of his cautious temper, he was on one occasion weak enough to confide to her an important state secret respecting the conspiracy of her brother Murena. (D. C. 54.3, 19, 4.7 ; Suet. Aug. 66, 69 ; Frandsen, C. Cilnius Maecenas, pp. 132-136.)