The Ides of March is an event that happens once a year, and has some negative and gloomy tones to it. But who really knows what it is? Is it just the midpoint? Or is it truly cursed like everyone says?
The Ides have a tie all the way back to the Roman Republic, back in about 44 BCE. So almost 2,068 years ago, and people still celebrate it today!
To explain the Ides, one must explain the Romans’ calendar system as well. The term “Ides” or Idus, is basically the midpoint of a specific month. There were other words to signify other points, such as Kalends, the first of a month, and Nones, which were around 8 days before the Ides.
Their calendar went by phases of the moon, and March is the first month in their calendar. This means that the “Ides of March” marks the first full moon of the year. This also makes a lot more sense, as March being the first month would make September the 7th month, October the 8th month, November the 9th month, and December the 10th month.
But why are the Ides so famous? Well, it’s essentially an anniversary for Julius Caesar’s death. It’s probably the most famous Roman assassination, and made famous because of William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, which was about his uprising as a tyrant; however, his life was cut short because of a group led by Cassius to end his life. After his death, Rome is plunged into a civil war, ultimately leading to the downfall of Rome.
In Shakespeare’s play, one person who got tied up into the assassination conspiracy was Caesar’s friend, Brutus. Cassius convinces Brutus that Caesar’s death would be for the greater good of Rome. In the play, Brutus tries to warn Caesar about his death with the phrase “Beware the Ides of March.”
Later in Julius Caesar, Caesar is eventually assassinated. He recognizes one of his murderers as Brutus. Upon recognizing his friend, he says the famous line, “Et tu, Brute?” Which translates to “And you, Brutus?” Moments before his death, Caesar realizes his own friend has aided in his assassination. Caesar’s death was really the event that got the ball rolling for the events which led to the end of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.
Of course people love Shakespeare’s plays, and that explains why the whole phrase became popular. Nowadays, people use the phrase “Ides of March” as a way to prophesize a negative event will happen soon.
