| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| CabinCreek-Kentucky |
Posted - Mar 01 2006 : 06:55:24 AM
posted this to my 'Kentucky Ramblers and Treasure Seekers' and thought i'd share it with ya'll too!
WELL .. WHO'D A THUNK? HOW OFTEN AS THE MONTH OF MARCH ROLLS AROUND .. DOES THE TERM: "THE IDES OF MARCH" COME UP! AND FINALLY, WITH THE WONDER OF THE 'INTERNET' .. I DECIDED TO 'SEARCH IT OUT' .. TO FIND OUT WHAT THIS TERM MEANS ... AND 'BOTTOM LINE' .. IT MEANS:
"the term can be used as to be weary, or cautious about something/someone"
*******
now .. if you want to "WOW" your family and friends during dinner-time conversation .. and for a further 'history lesson' ef'fen your interested .. keep reading!
******
p.s. (i was going to try and 'decorate' the cabins according to this 'theme' during the month of March .. but i think i'll just do 'spring has sprung' here in Kentucky instead!
p.s. i WILL be 'staying in my bedchambers' on March 15th!!!
================
Question
What exactly is the " Ides of March"? What does the term relate to? I've heard of it for years but never really understood anything about it. All I know is that it's the 15th of march,june, july. I've heard it pertains to Julius Ceasar.
Answer
The line "The Ides of March" pertains to the 15th of March. In Shakespeare's play, 'Julius Caesar', a Soothsayer tells Caesar "Beware the Ides of March". This is a foreshadowing for Caesar but he doesn't heed the warning.
Soothsayer: Caesar!
CAESAR: Ha! who calls?
CASCA: Bid every noise be still: peace yet again!
CAESAR: Who is it in the press that calls on me?
I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music,
Cry 'Caesar!' Speak; Caesar is turn'd to hear.
Soothsayer: Beware the ides of March.
CAESAR: What man is that?
BRUTUS: A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.
CAESAR: Set him before me; let me see his face.
CASSIUS: Fellow, come from the throng; look upon Caesar.
CAESAR: What say'st thou to me now? speak once again.
Soothsayer: Beware the ides of March.
CAESAR: He is a dreamer; let us leave him: pass.
As you may know, Caesar was betrayed and killed on the Ides of March. Therefore, the term can be used as to be weary, or cautious about something/someone.
Beware the Ides of March!
If you've heard the warning, "Beware the Ides of March," then it's probably due to the works of William Shakespeare. The Roman ruler, Julius Caesar, was assassinated on the Ides of March - March 15, 44 B.C.E.
In Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, an unknown soothsayer tells Caesar, who is already on his way to the Senate (and his death), "Beware the ides of March." Caesar replies, "He is a dreamer; let us leave him. Pass."
The Astrologer Spurinna
According to historical writer C.J.S. Thompson, Ph.D. in The Mystery and Romance of Astrology, 1929, the unidentified soothsayer from Shakespeare's play was a Roman astrologer by the name of Spurinna. According to Thompson - and confirmed in Plutarch's account of the story written in 75 A.D. and Suetonius in 110 A.D. - it was sometime prior to the fateful day of March 15 that Spurinna had first given Caesar the famous warning to "beware of the Ides of March."
The astrologer, Spurinna, had previously warned Caesar that on the Ides of March, he would be in great danger. If, however, Julius Caesar took care on that one day - then all would be well.
According to Plutarch's account, Caesar had previously made the wise decision to stay within the safety of his bedroom chambers on the 15th of March. However, Caesar's "friend" Decimus (Albinus) Brutus (not Marcus Brutus) managed to convince him that the astrologer's warnings were nothing more than superstitious foolishness.
So Julius Caesar decided to attend the Senate on the 15th of March. On his way to the Senate, Caesar "accidentally" met up with the astrologer. Upon seeing the Spurinna, Caesar confidently informed the astrologer: "The Ides of March are come."
Spurinna replied, "Yes, they are come, but they are not past."
Later that day - on March 15, 44 B.C.E - Caesar's enemies assassinated him in the Pompey theater, at the foot of Pompey's statue, where the Roman Senate was meeting that day in the temple of Venus.
What Are the Ides?
In the ancient Roman calendar, each of the 12 months of the year had an "ides." In March, May, July and October, the "ides" fell on the 15th day. In every other month, the "ides" fell on the 13th. The word "ides" was derived from the Latin "to divide." The "ides" were originally meant to mark the full moon - but since the solar calendar months and lunar months were of different lengths, the "ides" quickly lost their original intent and purpose.
So an alternative (albeit somewhat dubious) theory, as to why Caesar might have "seemingly" ignored the ominous warning of Spurinna, is that perhaps Julius Caesar got the dates of the warning mixed up. He may have been thinking that the Ides of March fell on the 13th.
Using this theory, forgetful Caesar would have been very careful and stayed home on the 13th of March, but on the 15th of March his guard was down.
Suggested Reading
Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
******
SO THERE YOU HAVE IT GURLFRENZ .. HMMMM .. MAYBE I SHOULDA' LISTENED A LITTLE CLOSER IN HIGH SCHOOL ANCIENT HISTORY CLASS!
HA! which reminds me of a funny 'high school' memory .. i SWEAR .. i can remember using a term i'd heard my nannie often say .. when a history teacher told me i HAD TO learn a long sonnet from Shakespeare:
i told him: 'you can't get blood out of a turnip' .. now THAT my friends .. just has to be a wonderful olde country saying.
My history teacher musta' been from the 'city' .. cuz' he responded:
"I've had a lot of bleeding turnips in this class!!!"
True Friends, Frannie |
| 4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| ali2583 |
Posted - Mar 02 2006 : 6:35:23 PM
Libbie, I'm with you 100%. I always felt March 15th was a bit like Hallowe'en, a bit like Friday the 13th. You know logically that it's the same as any other day, but when weird things happen on that day, it kind of makes you wonder.
"God's gift to you is life. What you choose to do with that life is your gift to God" |
| Alee |
Posted - Mar 01 2006 : 07:48:01 AM
I believe the literal meaning of "ides of March" means the 15th day of March- the day Julius was killed. Because he was killed by betrayal and by his own friend, that is why the meaning of "Ides of March" has become to mean "be wary of someone" etc. |
| Libbie |
Posted - Mar 01 2006 : 07:38:37 AM
I love the Ides of March - after reading Julius Ceasar in high school, I've always though of it as a little bit of Halloween in spring. e tu Brute...
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
| sandi |
Posted - Mar 01 2006 : 07:03:41 AM
Yea, I think I'd stick with "spring has sprung", too! :-) |
|
|
