He is constantly making notes -
'he would study up to dinner
time' & 'while he was being
scrubbed down and dried, he
would listen to something or he
would dictate'
High class and privileged
He is given daily tasks ('salutatio') by the Emperor himself -
'before light, he used to go to the Emperor Vespasian' and he has
slaves which carried him around in a 'sedan chair' as well as a
secretary 'at his side...with a book and writing tablets'
Disciplined and hard-working
He has a very fixed daily routine to enable
maximum productivity - he wakes up early to
work, 'before light' which shows his
dedication and even when he would 'lie in the
Sun, a book would be read out [and] he would
have notes and extracts made'
Narrow-minded in his attitudes
towards studying and scornful of others
who are less productive
Pliny the Younger is told that he 'could have not wasted
these hours' because he was walking and not studying
Heroic
He goes to save Rectina and the others, even
though he is aware of the dangers and risks at stake
as he tells the Helmsman 'Fortune favours brave
people: Make for Pomponianus'
His strength is shown through
his ability to remain calm in
the face of danger
He is so relaxed that he is able to carry on with
his daily routines of bathing as he 'gave orders to
be carried to thee bathroom' and 'after his bath,
he reclined and had dinner' & 'he indeed rested
with a very real sleep' in contrast to the others
'who had stayed awake all night'