# Beware the Ides of March!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 15, 2001, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084 "2001-03-15T13:12:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/1 "2001-03-15T13:12:07Z")
Hey, someone had to say it. -L ---
**Author:** ![Xploder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a183cd/32.png) [@Xploder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xploder)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/2 "2001-03-15T13:14:25Z")
I agree. Especially since today is Mrs X’s birthday 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dustMagnate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@dustMagnate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dustMagnate)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/3 "2001-03-15T13:21:58Z")
Got nothing on the Ides of April. Seeing the accountant is an absolute joy compared to writing that check to Uncle Sam and his minions. Was 15 March the Roman tax day? Or just the middle of every month? ---
**Author:** ![Spider\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Spider\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spider_Woman)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/4 "2001-03-15T13:33:30Z")
I believe that the Ides of March was the day when Julius Caesar was assassinated, and the line is out of the Shakespearian play **Julius Caesar** , when Caesar (I hope I’m spelling that right) was warned by an augurer (ditto) about his impending doom. ---
**Author:** ![ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/5 "2001-03-15T13:38:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spider Woman \* > **I believe that the Ides of March was the day when Julius Caesar was assassinated…** It is. However, the Ides existed prior to Shakespeare using this as a warning. Falls in the middle (14th or 15th of every month. Not sure about the bad luck attached to this day, but I’m fairly sure it pre-dates Shakespearean fame. -L ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/6 "2001-03-15T13:38:41Z")
I have nothing to add, really; I just thought this would be a good place to show off my .sig. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/7 "2001-03-15T13:40:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spider Woman \* > \*\*I believe that the Ides of March was the day when Julius Caesar was assassinated, and the line is out of the Shakespearian play **Julius Caesar** , when Caesar (I hope I’m spelling that right) was warned by an augurer (ditto) about his impending doom. \*\* That’s totally right, **Spider Woman**. Then Cassius stabbed him, and then all the others stabbed him, and then Brutus, who Julius thought was his bud, stabbed him as well. _Et tu, Brute?_ Caeser asks just before Brutus stabs him. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/8 "2001-03-15T13:41:47Z")
FYI “March, July, October, May, The Ides are on the fifteenth day” Mnemonic from my Latin class. Any other month, they’re on the 13th. ---
**Author:** ![ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/9 "2001-03-15T13:42:20Z")
I found this: > [@](#): > > What Are the Ides? > Another theory, as to why Caesar seemingly ignored the warnings of the astrologer, Spurinna, is that perhaps Julius Caesar got the dates of the warning mixed up, thinking the Ides of March fell on the 13th. In the ancient Roman calendar, each of the 12 months 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. 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. At this site: [http://astrology.about.com/science/astrology/library/weekly/aa031500a.htm](http://astrology.about.com/science/astrology/library/weekly/aa031500a.htm) I sure wish I knew how to do that neat thing where you make the blue underlined words show up instead of the messy URL address. -L ---
**Author:** ![dustMagnate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@dustMagnate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dustMagnate)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/10 "2001-03-15T13:51:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SexyWriter \* > \*\* > > At [this site](http://astrology.about.com/science/astrology/library/weekly/aa031500a.htm) > > I sure wish I knew how to do that neat thing where you make the blue underlined words show up instead of the messy URL address. > > -L \*\* Check the [instructions](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/index.php?action=bbcode). Just position the brackets, quotation marks correctly. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/11 "2001-03-15T13:59:27Z")
**SexyWriter** : > [@](#): > > I sure wish I knew how to do that neat thing where you make the blue underlined words show up instead of the messy URL address. Once again you suffer for your inability to code. I was at a Cajun restaurant with some friends a few months ago, and my buddy Ryan ordered the shrimp etouffee. Our food was brought, and he realized belatedly that he’d been brought a bowl of etouffee, not the cup he’d wanted. “You’ve been betrayed by the waiter,” I told him. "When he comes back you should say, “_Etouffee_, Waiter?” ---
**Author:** ![Simetra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Simetra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simetra)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/12 "2001-03-15T14:03:44Z")
Hmmm… this is all Greek to me. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/13 "2001-03-15T14:20:34Z")
I never found them all that scarey. Last summer they played one of the local Taste Ofs and the next night Survivor played the same fest. I suppose the difference was they left the horn section at home the second night. Then 38 Special played and, as url=“[http://www.jimpeterik.com/jimindex.htm](http://www.jimpeterik.com/jimindex.htm)”]Jim Peterik had written many of their songs, the whole thing was pretty incestuous. I don’t suppose many of you have any idea at all what I’m talking about. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/14 "2001-03-15T14:32:00Z")
**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. William Shakespeare, _Julius Caesar_, act I, scene ii. ---
**Author:** ![doc\_miller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f05b48/32.png) [@doc\_miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doc_miller)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/15 "2001-03-15T14:47:10Z")
March 15 is also St. Longinnius day. Lonny was the legionaire who stuck his spear in Christ’s side,and was later converted and martyred. The Roman commander who had him killed was later converted as well. The spear is more commonly known for its Arthurian connection, being used to strike the Dolorous Stroke and create the Wasteland, and later used by Galahad to heal the wounded king, and by extension the Wasteland. That was probably more than anyone wanted to know. Anyway, I always found it amusing the Lon’s day was on the Ides. Scott ---
**Author:** ![Globe-trotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cab0a1/32.png) [@Globe-trotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Globe-trotter)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/16 "2001-03-15T15:10:44Z")
My appraisal is today, of all days! I’ll definitely be on the look-out. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/17 "2001-03-15T15:14:57Z")
Since the Ides in April are 4/13, you don’t have to worry much about them, other than that nagging thought that, in two more days, at about 10PM, you have to sit down, rush through the forms, copy a bunch of stuff, and race to the Post Office by midnight… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/18 "2001-03-15T15:16:28Z")
My Ides began with a 2 hour yawnfest (otherwise known as a business meeting). Beware indeed. Thanks for the link to the instructions! -L ---
**Author:** ![SpinneZiege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SpinneZiege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpinneZiege)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/19 "2001-03-15T15:28:05Z")
Strangely, my English class just started reading the Tragedy of Julius Caeser. I think my teacher timed this one. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084/20 "2001-03-15T16:31:29Z")
Brutus, Judas, Cunnilingus… they all started out with good intentions, but a tiny slip of the tongue and they landed in deep shit. ides of march indeed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-the-ides-of-march/58084.md?page=2)