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It is the day Julius Ceasar was assassinated (March 15th, 44BC)

The phrase was immortalized by Shakespeare in his play Julius Ceasar.

(Act I, Part II)

A soothsayer warns Ceasar to beware the Ides of March.

When the day comes he sees the seer again, and mockingly says

Well, the Ides of March are come.

she replies

Aye, they are come, but are not gone.

The Ides of March

The Ides of March has long been considered an ill-fated day. Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15, 44 B.C. Historians note that it is likely that a soothsayer named Spurinna had warned Caesar that danger would occur by the ides of March. William Shakespeare included the phrase "Beware the ides of March" in his play Julius Caesar.

Each Roman Lunar Calendar month had three fixed named days, but was otherwise lacking a Julian numbering system as we're familiar with today.

# Kalends: #* Always the first day of the month. # Nones #* Always nine days before the Ides #* Long months (March, May, July and October) fell on seventh day of the month #* Other months, fell on fifth day of month # Ides: ## Always the day of the full moon in the lunar month. ## Long months (March, May, July and October) fell on 15th day of the month (remember the Ides of March) ## Other months, fell on 13th day of month The ides were the 15th days of long months (including Martius, or March) in the ancient Roman lunar calendar; they were the 13th in other months. The word ides comes from the Latin word idus, which is possibly derived from an Etruscan word meaning "to divide." The ides were originally meant to mark the full Moon (the "halfway point" of a lunar month), but because the Roman calendar months and actual lunar months were of different lengths, they quickly got out of step. The ancient Romans considered the day after the kalends (first of the month), nones (ninth day before the ides, inclusive), or ides of any month as unfavorable. These were called dies atri.

ref: http://almanac.com

Dies Atri

dies atri - or "black days" were not marked on the calendar because they always occured on the day after the Kalends, Nones and Ides of each month. Nothing new could be done on dies atri, and even state cult festivals were not held on these days. Romans also thought that the Kalends, Nones and Ides of each month as well as the fourth day of each month were unlucky days (the way we would think of Friday the Thirteenth). There were no legal or religious prohibitions against activities on simply unlucky days, and a nundina could fall on Nones quite easily. Furthermore, Romans thought the month of May and the first half of June were terribly unlucky months to get married in.

ref: http://abacus.bates.edu

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Related Questions

What was Caesar's reaction to Beware the Ides of March?

He is skeptical. When the day dawns and he is still ok he taunts the soothsayer by saying "The Ides of March are come"


Which play did this phrase come from beware the ideas of March come?

The saying "Beware the ides of March came from William Shakespeare's famous play, "Julius Caesar."


When was the beware the ides of march?

On the Ides of March day [currently 15th of March] in the Roman calendar Julius Caesar was assassinated. The frase "be ware the ides of March" it was a warning message to Julius Caesar given to him prior of that date. When Julius Caesar in the morning of that date met the person who warned him said "the ides of March has come" and the reply was "aye Caesar but not gone"


Which country did the saying beware the Ides of March come from?

This saying comes fromShakespeare'smind. It is only found in his play 'JuliusCaesar.' He has asoothsayersay this because Caesar was going to be assassinated of the Ides of March.Every month had the ides, this day marked the middle of the month. In the months with 31 days (March, May, July and October) in fell on the 15th of the month. In the other months it fell on the 13th. It is thought that originally the ides was the day of the full moon.


How did the phrase the ides of March are upon you?

It's a misquotation from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: The soothsayer has warned Caesar to "beware the Ides of March" (The Ides of March is March 15). March 15 comes along and Caesar, still in the pink, sees the soothsayer. He says, "The Ides of March are come" and the soothsayer says "Aye, Caesar, but not gone". Sure enough, Caesar is murdered shortly thereafter.


What quote foreshadows events to come in Julius Caesar's?

"Beware of the Ides of March!" Roman calender 15th March) associated with the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC.


What does Julius Caesar say to the Soothsayer when the prophet warns him of ther danger of March 15?

Brutus: A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March. Caesar: Set him before me; let me see his face. Cassius: Follow, come from the throng; look upon caesar. Soothsayer: Beware the ides of March. Caesar: He is a dreamer; let us leave him. Pass.


Who is soothsayer in Julius Caesar?

The soothsayer in Julius Ceasar is the man who tells Caear "Beware of the Ides of March." This has significant meaning, for the ides of March (the 15th) is the day of Julius Caesar's death. Caesar is ignorant towards this man, and for his ignorance, the warning did not get across to Caesar, and he is murdered.


Does the phrase the ides of March come from Rome?

The phrase is actually 'beware of the ides of March,' and it comes from Shakespeare's mind. In his play Julius Caesar, he has a soothsayer say that phrase because Caesar was killed on the ides of March. For the meaning of the ides of any month, see below.The Roman months had kalends, nones and ides. the kalend was the first day of the month. The nones was the eight day before the ides and fell between the 5th and the 7th day of the month, depending on the position if the ides. It is thought to have been originally the day of the half moon. The ides fell in the middle of the both, between the 13th and the 15th day. It is thought that originally it was the day of the full moon.


Why is march 15th called ides of march?

The ides of March was called the ides of March because that was what it was. The ancient Roman calendar did not follow the same dating system as our present day calendar. The months were divided into three lunar sections which were the Kalends, Nones and Ides. Every month had all three divisions. In the case of the ides, it could fall on either the 13th or the 15th of the month. In March the ides were on the 15th.


What does the 'Ides of Mars' mean?

The 'Ides' referred to the 15th day of the months of March, May, July, and October in the Roman calendar. The month of Marchwas named after Mars, the god of war. And so the 15th day was considered a festive time to dedicate activities in his honor. For example, a military parade was often held.Perhaps the most famous historic occurrence on that day was the assassination of Gaius Julius Caesar [July 13, 100 B.C. - March 15, 44 B.C.]. According to revered Greek historian and biographer Plutarch, Caesar was warned prior to the 15th by a seer to "Beware the Ides of March." Moments before his death Caesar mocked the seer saying, "Well, the Ides are come." to which the seer replied "Aye, they are come, but they are not gone." William Shakespeare [baptized April 26, 1564-April 23, 1616] wrote a play on the event.


Who was told to '' beware the ides of march ''?

The warning was said to Julius Ceasar prior to his assassination.The Ides of March has long been considered an ill-fated day. Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15, 44 B.C. Historians note that it is likely that a soothsayer named Spurinna had warned Caesar.The phrase was immortalized by Shakespeare in his play Julius Ceasar (Act I, Part II).The soothsayer warns Ceasar to beware the Ides of March.When the day comes he sees the seer again, and mockingly saysWell, the Ides of March are come.he repliesAye, they are come, but are not gone.Each Roman Lunar Calendar month had three fixed named days, but was otherwise lacking a Julian numbering system as we're familiar with today.1. Kalends:* Always the first day of the month.2. Nones* Always nine days before the Ides* Long months (March, May, July and October) fell on seventh day of the month* Other months, fell on fifth day of month3. Ides:1. Always the day of the full moon in the lunar month.2. Long months (March, May, July and October) fell on 15th day of the month (remember the Ides of March)3. Other months, fell on 13th day of monthThe ides were the 15th days of long months (including Martius, or March) in the ancient Roman lunar calendar; they were the 13th in other months. The word ides comes from the Latin word idus, which is possibly derived from an Etruscan word meaning "to divide." The ides were originally meant to mark the full Moon (the "halfway point" of a lunar month), but because the Roman calendar months and actual lunar months were of different lengths, they quickly got out of step. The ancient Romans considered the day after the kalends (first of the month), nones (ninth day before the ides, inclusive), or ides of any month as unfavorable. These were called dies atri.ref: http://almanac.comDies Atridies atri - or "black days" were not marked on the calendar because they always occured on the day after the Kalends, Nones and Ides of each month. Nothing new could be done on dies atri, and even state cult festivals were not held on these days. Romans also thought that the Kalends, Nones and Ides of each month as well as the fourth day of each month were unlucky days (the way we would think of Friday the Thirteenth). There were no legal or religious prohibitions against activities on simply unlucky days, and a nundina could fall on Nones quite easily. Furthermore, Romans thought the month of May and the first half of June were terribly unlucky months to get married in.ref: http://abacus.bates.edu