vælˈɪɹiəs mˈæksɪməs, ɹˈaɪɾɪŋ ɪnðə fˈɜːst sˈɛntʃɚɹi, ɪndˈaɪts flˈækəs wɪð aʊtɹˈeɪdʒəs ænd hˈɔːɾi bᵻhˈeɪvjɚ wɛn hiː ɐpˈæɹəntli ɹᵻfjˈuːzd tʊ ˈænsɚ sˈʌmənz ʌvðə sˈɛnət ɔːɹ ɐtˈɛnd sˈɛnət mˈiːɾɪŋz "tə ʃˈoʊ hɪz kəntˈɛmpt fɚðə pɹɛstˈiːʒ ʌv ðæt ɛntˈaɪɚ dɪstˈɪŋɡwɪʃt ˈɔːɹdɚ".
Valerius Maximus, writing in the first century, indicts Flaccus with outrageous and haughty behaviour when he apparently refused to answer summons of the senate or attend senate meetings "to show his contempt for the prestige of that entire distinguished order".