Meanderer: Thank you for starting this post! I can't get enough of Shakespeare!
Ditto!Meanderer: Thank you for starting this post! I can't get enough of Shakespeare!
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-ides-of-marchBeware the Ides of March. But Why?
"It's unlikely even Shakespeare could have predicted how his famous phrase would have evolved."
"You've probably heard the soothsayer’s warning to Julius Caesar in William Shakespeare's play of the same name: “Beware the Ides of March.” Not only did Shakespeare’s words stick, they branded the phrase—and the date, March 15—with a dark and gloomy connotation. It’s likely that many people who use the phrase today don’t know its true origin. In fact, just about every pop culture reference to the Ides—save for those appearing in actual history-based books, movies or television specials—makes it seem like the day itself is cursed."
"But the Ides of March actually has a non-threatening history. Kalends, Nones and Ides were ancient markers used to reference dates in relation to lunar phases. Ides simply referred to the first new moon of a given month, which usually fell between the 13th and 15th. In fact, the Ides of March once signified the new year, which meant celebrations and rejoicing."
I am so glad I read that! This now makes sense! It's a time of the new Spring year with celebrations and rejoicing. It's a renewal, not a time of the year to be feared. All my life I'd heard, "Beware the Ides of March", said with a dire expression of warning.Beware the Ides of March. But Why?
"It's unlikely even Shakespeare could have predicted how his famous phrase would have evolved."
"You've probably heard the soothsayer’s warning to Julius Caesar in William Shakespeare's play of the same name: “Beware the Ides of March.” Not only did Shakespeare’s words stick, they branded the phrase—and the date, March 15—with a dark and gloomy connotation. It’s likely that many people who use the phrase today don’t know its true origin. In fact, just about every pop culture reference to the Ides—save for those appearing in actual history-based books, movies or television specials—makes it seem like the day itself is cursed."
"But the Ides of March actually has a non-threatening history. Kalends, Nones and Ides were ancient markers used to reference dates in relation to lunar phases. Ides simply referred to the first new moon of a given month, which usually fell between the 13th and 15th. In fact, the Ides of March once signified the new year, which meant celebrations and rejoicing."