Ides of March

Beware the Ides of March, indeed. A friend died last night. Ila was a former coworker and a friend of my wife, and she was found dead in her bed this morning. She had hypertension - high blood pressure - and had been suffering chest pains recently, probably due to stress. She'd been fired by her employer about a month ago for no good reason, and therefore she was awarded unemployment compensation, but she hadn't found another job yet. My wife cried when she heard, and I'll miss Ila, too. She was nice.
 
I know that the Ides of March was the middle of the month corresponding to the full moon, and also the the assassination of Caesar, but not much else, so I thought I would look it up. This from Wikipedia:
The Ides of March (Latin: Idus Martii or Idus Martiae) is a day on the Roman calendar that corresponds to 15 March. It was marked by several religious observances, and became notorious as the date of the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC.

Religious observances
The Ides of each month was sacred to Jupiter, the supreme deity of the Romans. The Flamen Dialis, Jupiter's high priest, led the "Ides sheep" (ovis Idulius) in procession along the Via Sacra to the arx, where it was sacrificed. In addition to the monthly sacrifice, the Ides of March was also the occasion of the Feast of Anna Perenna, a goddess of the year (Latin annus) whose festival originally concluded the ceremonies of the new year. The day was enthusiastically celebrated among the common people with picnics, drinking, and revelry. One source from late antiquity also places the Mamuralia on the Ides of March. This observance, which has aspects of scapegoat or ancient Greek pharmakos ritual, involved beating an old man dressed in animal skins and perhaps driving him from the city. The ritual may have been a new year festival representing the expulsion of the old year.[6]
In the later Imperial period, the Ides began a "holy week" of festivals for Cybele and Attis. The Ides was the day of Canna intrat ("The Reed enters"), when Attis was born and exposed as an infant among the reeds of a Phrygian river. He was discovered—depending on the version of the myth—by either shepherds or the goddess Cybele, who was also known as the Magna Mater, "Great Mother". A week later, on 22 March, the day of Arbor intrat ("The Tree enters") commemorated the death of Attis under a pine tree. A college of priests called "tree bearers" (dendrophoroi) cut down a tree, suspended from it an image of Attis, and carried it to the temple of the Magna Mater with lamentations. The day was formalized as part of the official Roman calendar under Claudius. A three-day period of mourning followed, culminating with the rebirth of Attis on 25 March, the date of the vernal equinox on the Julian calendar.
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A day of religious celebrations morphed into a day of mourning probably because of Caesar's assassination and the betrayal of Brutus.

The popular saying “Beware the Ides of March,” however, originated from William Shakespeare’s recounting of the event in his play Julius Caesar. In the play, Caesar says, “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.” In reply, a soothsayer tells him, “Beware the Ides of March.” Caesar unfortunately fails to heed the soothsayer’s warning, going on to be betrayed by his son Brutus and Brutus’ co-conspirators in the Senate.

Another well-known quote which emerged from the play Julius Caesar is the famous Et tu, Brute (“Even you, Brutus?) which Shakespeare has him utter as he is being stabbed by his son. Today, this quote has taken on the meaning of being betrayed by a friend. The phrase “stabbed in the back” also has its origins in the assassination of Caesar.
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_http://guardianlv.com/2014/03/ides-of-march-forgotten-origins-modern-day-interpretations/
 
Laura said:
Tomorrow is the Ides of March, the anniversary of the assassination of Julius Caesar. I think I'll light a candle in commemoration.
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Quoting my opening post of this thread.

Again, I'll be lighting a candle and I think we will have a commemorative meal in honor of Caesar.
 
That is a good idea. I'll light up a candle in memory of Julius Caesar.
 
Gaby said:
That is a good idea. I'll light up a candle in memory of Julius Caesar.
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Indeed, a good idea,me too will light a candle in memory of Julius Caesar.
 
Hail Caesar! Fallen champion of the great Mother. Servant of the people. We salute and remember you. My candle in memory emits a pure, clear, still light.
 
thanks for the note ... i will put my thoughts and research on Cesar tomorow and will try to share some on social networks for my friends and collegues, to evoke memories on this glorious man ...
 
Tomorrow my grandmother finally comes home, she had a hip surgery four months ago and a long postoperative, so I will lit a candle for Caesar too, and it smells peach :lol:!hope he likes it!
 
I have always made note of the Ides of March, just never thought of lighting a candle for him. I will do this too.
I dug up my old 'Masters of Rome' books, as I recalled that Colleen McCullough had drawn her own portrait of Caesar from various busts & paintings of him. It was in 'Fortune's Favorites' page 438 (1993 edition).

I like this rendition of him, Colleen is ever faithful to detail. [I wonder what Caesar himself thinks of it?!? :rolleyes: I think he would say she got his eyebrows & nose wrong]

Anyway, thanks for the idea of honouring this wonderful man with candles & with thanks from those who recognize his gift to mankind.
 
maryd said:
I have always made note of the Ides of March, just never thought of lighting a candle for him. I will do this too.
I dug up my old 'Masters of Rome' books, as I recalled that Colleen McCullough had drawn her own portrait of Caesar from various busts & paintings of him. It was in 'Fortune's Favorites' page 438 (1993 edition).

I like this rendition of him, Colleen is ever faithful to detail. [I wonder what Caesar himself thinks of it?!? :rolleyes: I think he would say she got his eyebrows & nose wrong]

Anyway, thanks for the idea of honouring this wonderful man with candles & with thanks from those who recognize his gift to mankind.
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What did you think of the books? I haven't read them. Do they portray Caesar well?
 
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