Well-chosen vignettes which
create interesting scenarios -
good to read
Examples of these scenes include:
Pliny the Elder sleeping and snoring;
Arria bashing her head against the
wall
Constant change of pace throughout
He sets the scene in Misenum where everything is calm
and then changes this atmosphere later on as he
describes the danger faced by Pliny the Elder in which there are
several sections where we as the readers are able to
disconnect from the narrative as he includes aspects of
normal life such as when Pliny the Elder has a bath and dinner
Different tones throughout to add variety
Feelings of tension (as danger is increasing as Pliny the
Elder embarks on his journey), humour (the only time
when he doesn't study is when he is actually immersed
in water) & moving (the death of his uncle)