Beware the Ides of March - What Does that Mean, Anyway?

"Beware the Ides of March," says a soothsayer in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Caesar was afraid, perhaps a little superstitious (rightly so in this case), but states on that day that nothing has happened; he's then told that the day isn't over. In the play, later that day, Caesar was killed.

It was the Ides of March in 44 BC, and he was betrayed by friends and murdered in the streets of Rome. Of all the lines in the play, it seems to be the one most people remember, followed closely by (or perhaps surpassed by) "Et tu, Brute?" Julius Caesar is required reading in many schools, and often is an introduction to Shakespeare's works.

But what is the Ides of March, anyway?

March 15th of each year is what is considered in the Roman calendar to be the Ides of March (Americans currently use the Gregorian calendar). It used to be a day when Mars (the Roman god of war) was celebrated, often with a military parade. Ides used to refer to a full moon, but after Caesar's violent death, the day became infamous, just like September 11th has for many people. Every month technically has an Ides, but they've fallen out of common use. January's is on the 13th, for example. Julius Caesar himself came up with the formula to figure out which days were the Ides.

The Ides of March has actually had quite a few interesting things happen on it, aside from the death of Caesar. In 1776 South Carolina gave British rule the heave-ho and set up its own government. In 1820, Maine was brought into the union as part of the Missouri Compromise, and became the 23rd state. HP Lovecraft died on that date in 1937. It's a holiday in Belarus, Hungary, and Japan, and is the day of Saints Clemens Maria Hofbauer, Louise of Marillac, Leocritia, Longinus, and Raymond of Fitero,

In 2010, the Ides of March falls on a Monday, the day after Daylight Savings Time begins, and two days before St. Patrick's day. It is nowhere near the full moon (which occurs more than two weeks later). So next time you're looking for an interesting factoid to share, you can tell your friends about the Ides of March. Among those who have studied literature, it's a topic of interest, a date of import, and just something fun to talk about sometimes.

Sources-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ides_of_March
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/03/0311_040311_idesmarch.html
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090313-ides-of-march-facts.html
http://www.enotes.com/shakespeare-quotes/beware-ides-march
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_15