Arellius Fuscus

Augustan declaimer. Seneca says he was one of the 4 best orators of his day and cites from him more than any other declaimer; famous students including the poet Ovid studied at his school in Rome. He declaimed in Latin and Greek, but Seneca says he preferred to declaim in Greek and was one of the Asiani: that may refer to his ethnic origin (Greek from Asia Minor) or to the style of his oratory. It is possible that he was a Roman from the Greek East, whose family had been settled there for a while as businesspeople.

His style is very poetic and one of his favourite poetic models is Virgil, whose influence can be seen on this passage. According to Seneca he did so in part to appeal to Maecenas, the patron of Virgil (Suasoriae 3.4-5). Seneca discusses him at length at Controversia VII Praef 1-9.