From DBG 7:73
Ante hos obliquis ordinibus in quincuncem dispositis scrobes in altitudinem trium pedum fodiebantur paulatim angustiore ad infimum fastigio. huc teretes stipites feminis crassitudine ab summon praeacuti et prausti demittebantur it, ut non amplius digitis quattor ex terra eminerent; simul confirmandi et stabiliendi causa singuli ab infimo solo pedes terra exculcabantur; reliqua pars scrobis ad occultandas insidias viminibus ac virgultis integebatur. huius generis octoni ordines ducti ternos inter se pedes distabant. id ex similitudine floris lilium appellabant.
ante haec taleae pedem longae ferries hamis infixis totae in terram infodiebantur mediocribusque intermissis spatiis omnibus locis disserebantur, quos stimulus nominabant.
Hoping someone can explain to me firstly why the genitive is used in the first highlighted bit and not the accusative. Secondly could someone explain to me what pedes and pedem are doing? As is normal with these things I sort of know what's going on but I've tied myself in knots trying to explain it to myself.
Thanks
Ante hos obliquis ordinibus in quincuncem dispositis scrobes in altitudinem trium pedum fodiebantur paulatim angustiore ad infimum fastigio. huc teretes stipites feminis crassitudine ab summon praeacuti et prausti demittebantur it, ut non amplius digitis quattor ex terra eminerent; simul confirmandi et stabiliendi causa singuli ab infimo solo pedes terra exculcabantur; reliqua pars scrobis ad occultandas insidias viminibus ac virgultis integebatur. huius generis octoni ordines ducti ternos inter se pedes distabant. id ex similitudine floris lilium appellabant.
ante haec taleae pedem longae ferries hamis infixis totae in terram infodiebantur mediocribusque intermissis spatiis omnibus locis disserebantur, quos stimulus nominabant.
Hoping someone can explain to me firstly why the genitive is used in the first highlighted bit and not the accusative. Secondly could someone explain to me what pedes and pedem are doing? As is normal with these things I sort of know what's going on but I've tied myself in knots trying to explain it to myself.
Thanks