Avunculus Meus style notes

Ante lucem (before dawn), noctibus (nights)

Details about time, with the emphatic placement emphasising that Pliny works long hours and doesn’t sleep much at night

Levis et facilis (light and easy)

These adjectives are used to paint a more vivid picture Pliny in life, which makes him seem more real and a well-rounded character. He lives a simple and humble life, focused on his important work - he doesn’t spend much money on extravagant expenses despite having both wealth and power. He is a gentle person, who doesn’t abuse his power

Iacebat (lie), legebatur (read), adnotabat (take notes), excerpebat (take extracts)

Tetracolon - four verbs, emphasising the amount of work that Pliny did

Legebatur (read), excerpebatque (take extracts)

Repetition of read and take extracts, emphasising his study-based lifestyle

Dicere etiam solebat (indeed, he used to say)

Pliny’s nephew showing fondness to his uncle as he has now died

Nullum (no), non (not)

Double negative to make his exaggeration more prominent - Pliny thinks about all books as being worthwhile

Lavabatur (bathe), gustabat (take a snack), dormiebat (sleep)

Tricolon emphasising his busy, industrial, hardworking lifestyle

Labores (toils), fremitum (noise)

Adding details to make Pliny seem more real, emphasising how dedicated Pliny was to his studies - he ignores the bustle and events of Rome in order to work

Balinei (bath)

Repeated for clarification

Eximebatur (taken away), destringitur (scrape), tergiturque (wipe)

Passives used to hint that Pliny has many slaves to allow him to focus on his own work - he doesn’t even take the time to make his own notes

Audiebat aliquid aut (listen to something or)

Alliteration of ‘a’ emphasising the fact that Pliny’s slaves are reading aloud to him while everyone else is trying to relax, or could reference the sound that Pliny makes whilst receiving his treatments and massages

Notarius (secretary), pugillaribus (writing tablet), manicis (gloves)

Details added to create a very vivid scene

Manus hieme manicis muniebantur (hands were protected with mittens in winter)

‘M’ alliteration emphasising the sound of someone reading aloud

Ne […] quidem (not even), ullum (any)

Emphatic words emphasising his decision to reading and writing, describing that all of his circumstances do not distract from him learning

Vehebatur (ride)

Passive verb revealing his reliance on slaves - there is a contrast between modern and ancient attitudes towards Pliny’s use of slaves; modern audiences consider it to be inappropriate, harsh and unnecessary, while an ancient reader would think it a common, popular and acceptable purpose

‘Poteras’ inquit (he said “you could)

Use of direct speech makes his words exciting

Has horas (these hours)

‘H’ alliteration revealing Pliny’s crassness with his nephew as he takes his studies very seriously

Vale (farewell)

Formal yet abrupt end to his letter, reminding the audience of the form of the extract