Beware the Ides of March!

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 Ever wondered why we must "beware the ides of March"? 


           History buffs among us know that this saying comes from Roman history, specifically the assassination of Roman emperor, Julius Caesar. As the story goes, in 44 BC a soothsayer told Caesar to "beware the ides of March." The Romans used the word "ides" to signal the middle of the month, so the the ides of March literally translates to March 15th
. Caesar ignored the soothsayer's prophecy, even joking with the seer that the ides had come and no danger had befallen him. He spoke too soon as history, as later that day approximately 60 members of the senate would assassinate him. One of the most notable assassins was Marcus (Quintus)
Brutus, who Caesar seemed to trust dearly, potentially as a good friend. According to legend, when Brutus stabbed him, Caesar said "Et tu, Brute?" This translates to "And you, Brute?" and is representative of Caesar's feelings of betrayal at the time of his death by his close confidante. However, as many things from the ancient past, some of this story might be more speculation
than fact. For example, it is probable that Caesar did not even mutter these words during the assassination, but these words were part of a dramatization of the whole event. 



Either way, the story of Caesar's assassination gives us many lessons to consider today, such as keeping an eye on your enemies, especially today, March 15th.


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