I.masc. pedestris, Nep. Eum. 4, 3; Vop. Prob. 21, 1), adj. id., on foot, that goes, is done, etc., on foot, pedestrian.
I. Lit.: “gratior illi videtur statua pedestris futura, quam equestris,” Cic. Phil. 9, 6: “equestres et pedestres copiae,” foot-soldiers, infantry, id. Fin. 2, 34, 112: “copiae,” Caes. B. G. 2, 17 al.; Tac. H. 2, 11 fin.; so, “pedester exercitus,” Nep. Eum. 4, 3: “pedestre scutum,” of a foot-soldier, Liv. 7, 10: “pugna,” id. 22, 47: “proelium duplex equestre ac pedestre commisit,” Suet. Dom. 4: “pedestris acies,” Tac. A. 2, 17.—
2. In plur. subst. pedestres, foot-soldiers, Just. 11, 9; people on foot, Vulg. Matt. 14, 13; id. Marc. 6, 33.—
3. Pedestria auspicia nominabantur, quae dabantur a vulpe, lupo, equo, ceterisque animalibus quadrupedibus, Paul. ex Fest. p. 244 Müll.—
B. Transf., on land, by land: “pedestres navalesque pugnae,” Cic. Sen. 5: “pedestria itinera,” the roads by land, Caes. B. G. 3, 9; cf. id. B. C. 2, 32: “proelia pedestria,” Just. 4, 4, 4: “transitus,” Plin. 3, 11, 16, § 101; Mart. Spect. 28. —
II. Trop., of style, like the Gr. πεζός, not rising above the ground, not elevated.
A. Written in prose, prose (Gr. idiom; “Lat. prosa oratio): Plato multum supra prosam orationem et quam pedestrem Graeci vocant, surgit,” Quint. 10, 1, 81: “pedestres historiae,” Hor. C. 2, 12, 9.—
B. Plain, common, without poetic flights, without pathos, prosaic: “dolet sermone pedestri Telephus,” Hor. A. P. 95: “quid prius inlustrem satiris musāque pedestri,” id. S. 2, 6, 17 (for which: “sermones Repentes per humum,” id. Ep. 2, 1, 251): “opus,” Aus. Ep. 16, 78: “fabulae,” Ter. Maur. p. 2433 P.