What are the Ides of March? See what "IDES" is in other dictionaries

The massacre of Gaius Julius Caesar remains the most unusual political murder in history.

Almost everyone knows the expression “Ides of March”. The legend associated with him Julius Caesar- many. Almost no one knows why the Ides fall on March 15th.

Where did the ides come from?

So let's start with calendar numerology. Classic Roman calendar, the creation of which is attributed to the legendary co-founder of Rome Romulus(VIII century BC), consists of only 10 months. Most of their names, by the way, are still alive: all spring, all autumn, June and December. The second month of summer was called Quitilis, the third - Sextilis (i.e., the fifth and sixth months of the year that began on Martius 1).

Later, about 200 years later, the Romans adopted the 12-month Etruscan calendar: Januarius and Februarius were added. Half of their months consisted of 30 days, half of 29; thus the “year” lasted 354 days. It is clear that the calendar kept shifting, so that from time to time the Great Pontiff ordered an additional month, Mercedonia, so that March would usher in spring again, and October would not be as hot as in summer.

At the same time, the connection of months to the lunar cycle was preserved (we still call the partial moon a “month” - this is also from there). The main days of the month coincided with the phases of the moon - or, rather, tried to coincide with them. The first day of the month, the first glimpse after the new moon, is the Kalends. The first quarter, the 5th or 7th day of the month, - nones - from the name of the number 9, since 9 days after the nones came the Ides, the middle of the lunar month, the 13th or 15th day of the month, the full moon, with which Many cultures had anxious expectations. (We would say there are eight days between the 7th and the 15th, but the Romans included both the day of Non and the day of Ide in the calculation).

They framed the republic

That is why the prediction of an unknown soothsayer sounded so alarming, which he quotes Plutarch:

“Many also say that some fortune-teller predicted to Caesar that on that day of the month of March, which the Romans call the Ides, he should beware of great danger. When this day came, Caesar, going to the Senate, greeted the soothsayer and jokingly told him: “But the Ides of March have come!”, to which he calmly replied: “Yes, they have come, but have not passed!”

It happened in 44 BC, 2061 years ago. Caesar was killed with daggers at a Senate meeting. There was no unity among the senators-conspirators; each acted based on their own motives, and this was a rare, perhaps the only case in history of a “palace coup” that was not carried out for the sake of seizing power.

In addition, Caesar outwitted his assassins: in his will, the childless dictator clearly indicated his heir by adopting his great-nephew, Guy Octavia. It was he who, after a long civil war, became the first emperor in the history of mankind - realizing those plans that were attributed to his uncle without sufficient grounds.

It is quite possible that without the murder on the Ides of March, no royal power would have arisen in Rome.

Rumors and calendar

Caesar was never an emperor or simply a leader for life - in this sense, the murder became what doctors call “failed prevention.”

The claims of the Roman elite to Caesar are well known: he dealt with the traditional republic, usurped power, and trampled on ideals. Indeed, from the year 66 he held the highest religious position of the great pontiff, and from the 49th he had dictatorial powers. On the Ides of February 1944, a royal diadem was placed on him - a symbol of the sole power hated by the Republicans (perhaps this was a provocation). Caesar refused this honor, but, according to his opponents, not too hastily. And rumors spread throughout Rome that the dictator intended to rule for life, to become a basileus, that is, a king.

FOR REFERENCE:Actually, the word “king” itself is a derivative of “Caesar”. Only not from Gaius Julius, but from Octavian, who took on the name of his uncle.

It is interesting that, again, the calendar played a significant role in the dissatisfaction with Caesar. By 46 BC, due to the irregular addition of mercendonia, it differed from the real change of seasons by three months, so Caesar made a radical reform, introducing the so-called Julian calendar - with a year of 365 days and the addition of one day every 4 years. Sound familiar? It is this calendar that the Russian Orthodox Church uses, despite the fact that for more than two thousand years the difference with the astronomical year (according to the more accurate Gregorian calendar, which we use in everyday life) has already been two weeks.

BY THE WAY: The Julian calendar began to operate in the 45th year; Thus, the author of the reform lived with the “correct” monthly calculation for only one year. And he died on the Ides, which were no longer a day in the middle of the month.

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When you listen to the statements of particularly zealous leaders of Russian regions that Russia needs a monarchy, since the republican system has not taken root in a hundred years, you involuntarily suspect them of simply dreaming of the Ides of March.

Ides of March

according to the ancient Roman calendar, March 15. This date has become famous in history, since on this day in 44 BC. e. the assassination of Julius Caesar took place (See Caesar). Conspirators (organizers were G. Cassius, M. Brutus, D. Brutus and others), fearing the strengthening of Caesar's monarchical aspirations, killed him in the building of the Curia of Pompey (Rome) on the day of the Senate meeting.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

See what the “Ides of March” is in other dictionaries:

Ides of March: The Ides of March is March 15th according to the Roman calendar, in 44 BC. e. On this day Julius Caesar was killed. See Ides. The Ides of March (novel) is a novel by Thornton Wilder. The Ides of March (film) film by George Clooney ... Wikipedia

Ides of March- according to other Romans. calendar day March 15th. This date became famous due to the fact that March 15, 44 BC. Julius Caesar was assassinated. The leaders of the conspiracy were Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus... Ancient world. Encyclopedic Dictionary

This term has other meanings, see Ides of March. The Ides of March The Ides of March ... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Ides of March. The Ides of March The Ides of March Cover of the first edition Author ... Wikipedia

IDE, id, unit. no (source). The ancient Romans had a day in the middle of the month dedicated to Jupiter. ❖ Ides of March (rhetorical obsolete) trans. the day of fatal events (J. Caesar was killed on the Ides of March). Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

- (Latin Idus, from Etruscan iduare, “to divide”) in the Roman calendar this was the name of the day in the middle of the month. The Ides fall on the 15th in March, May, July and October; on the 13th in the remaining eight months. After the reform of the calendar by Julius Caesar (see... ... Wikipedia

Ides- (Latin word Idus, probably of Etruscan origin), middle of the month. In other Rome. In the I. calendar, the full moon was designated and fell on the 15th day of March, May, July and October and on the 13th day of the remaining months. Especially famous are the March And... Dictionary of Antiquity

Ida- Ides of March (rhetoric, obsolete) trans. the day of fatal events [Yu. Caesar was killed on the Ides of March] ... Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Language

Wikipedia has articles about other people with this surname, see Clooney. George Clooney George Clooney ... Wikipedia

69th Golden Globe Awards January 15, 2012 Best Motion Picture (Drama): “The Descendants” Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical): “The Artist” Best Drama Series: “Stranger Among Our Own” Best TV Series (Comedy or Musical): “American... ... Wikipedia

Books

The Ides of March, T. Wilder. The one-volume collection of selected works by the greatest American prose writer of the 20th century, Thornton Wilder (1897-1975), includes his most significant and famous works: “The King’s Bridge...
Ides of March. Theophilus North, Thornton Wilder. The one-volume collection of works by the American writer Thornton Wilder (1887 - 1975) includes the novels “The Ides of March” (1948) and “Theophilus North” (1973). Although Wilder's books belong to different genres (he...

Ides of March

according to the ancient Roman calendar, March 15. This date has become famous in history, since on this day in 44 BC. e. Julius Caesar was assassinated. The conspirators (the organizers were G. Cassius, M. Brutus, D. Brutus and others), fearing the strengthening of Caesar's monarchical aspirations, killed him in the building of the Curia of Pompey (Rome) on the day of the Senate meeting.

Wikipedia

The Ides of March (film)

"Ides of March" is the fourth directorial work of George Clooney, who again tried his hand at the genre of political thriller. The film's script is based on the play "Farragut North" by Beau Willimon. The main role is played by Ryan Gosling, who was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for it. The world premiere took place on August 31, 2011 at the 68th Venice Film Festival, in Russia on February 15, 2012.

The film received many film prizes and awards, including four Golden Globe nominations and an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. The vast majority of world film critics included “The Ides of March” in their own lists of the best films of the year.

The Ides of March (novel)

"Ides of March" is a novel of letters by American writer Thornton Wilder, published in 1948. This, according to the author, is “a fantasy about some events and characters of the last days of the Roman Republic... Reconstructing true history was not the primary purpose of this work.” The novel tells the story of the events that culminated in the assassination of Julius Caesar (on the Ides of March 44 BC).

The novel is divided into four books, each of which begins earlier and ends later than the previous one. All documents cited in the novel are fictitious, with the exception of the poems of Catullus and the final paragraph of Suetonius. However, many of the events described are historical, such as Cleopatra's visit to Rome.

Ides of March

Ides of March:

Ides of March - March 15 according to the Roman calendar, in 44 BC. e. On this day Julius Caesar was killed. See Ides.
"The Ides of March" is a novel (1948) by Thornton Wilder.
"The Ides of March" - film (2011) by George Clooney.
is an American rock band that has been around since 1964.

Ides of March (day)

Idas(from Etruscan iduare, “to divide”) - in the Roman calendar this was the name of the day in the middle of the month. The Ides fall on the 15th in March, May, July and October; on the 13th - in the remaining eight months.

On the Ides of March (March 15), 44 BC. e. Julius Caesar was killed by conspirators. According to Plutarch, the soothsayer warned Caesar several days in advance that he should fear death on that day. Having met the soothsayer on the steps of the Senate, Caesar said to him with mockery: “The Ides of March have come.” “They have arrived, but have not passed yet,” answered the fortuneteller. A few minutes later Caesar was killed. The phrase “Beware the Ides of March!” from Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar" became winged.

Idus, from Etruscan. iduare, “to divide”) - in the Roman calendar this was the name of the day in the middle of the month. The Ides fall on the 15th in March, May, July and October; on the 13th - in the remaining eight months. After the reform of the calendar by Julius Caesar (see Julian calendar), the connection between the length of the month and the date on which the Ides falls was lost.

Ides of March

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Notes

Passage describing the Ides

“I ordered, your honor, they didn’t listen,” answered the sergeant.
Rostov lay down on his bed again and thought with pleasure: “Let him fuss and fuss now, I’ve finished my job and I’m lying down - great!” From behind the wall he heard that, in addition to the sergeant, Lavrushka, that lively rogue lackey of Denisov, was also speaking. Lavrushka told something about some carts, crackers and bulls, which he saw while going for provisions.
Behind the booth, Denisov’s scream was heard again, retreating, and the words: “Saddle up! Second platoon!
“Where are they going?” thought Rostov.
Five minutes later, Denisov entered the booth, climbed onto the bed with dirty feet, angrily smoked a pipe, scattered all his things, put on a whip and a saber and began to leave the dugout. To Rostov’s question, where? he answered angrily and vaguely that there was a matter.
- God and the great sovereign judge me there! - Denisov said, leaving; and Rostov heard the feet of several horses splashing in the mud behind the booth. Rostov didn’t even bother to find out where Denisov went. Having warmed himself up in his coal, he fell asleep and just left the booth in the evening. Denisov has not returned yet. The evening cleared up; Near the neighboring dugout, two officers and a cadet were playing pile, laughingly planting radishes in the loose, dirty soil. Rostov joined them. In the middle of the game, the officers saw carts approaching them: about 15 hussars on thin horses followed them. The carts, escorted by the hussars, drove up to the hitching posts, and a crowd of hussars surrounded them.

44 BC, the greatest statesman of his time, Emperor Julius Caesar, was assassinated. Since then, every modern politician is not immune from meeting someone who could commit his political murder.

About the theme of the film

George Clooney's film The Ides of March (2011) tells an entertaining story, partly based on real events - the election campaign in which Howard Dean participated. But, since the creation of the film coincided with the election race for the post of US President, in which Barack Obama participated and then won, the fate of the film almost became sad, since everyone then thought that it was no longer relevant.

“A free press is even more important than a free government,” says George Clooney.

Time has shown that Clooney was right. His work, lifting the curtain on PR technologies, thanks to which citizens of a democratic country choose who will become the head of state for the next four years, is already included in the category. Because it turned out that this is broader than just the history of some election, in some year, in some country, even the United States. This story touches on more than just the topic of political elections. Rather, Clooney’s film is about the choice that you have to make many times in life: for the sake of a career - your own or someone else’s, for the sake of your own or someone else’s life, for the sake of truth.

The Ides: the time “before” and the time “after”

The “Ides of March” of the 2000s is the story of modern Julius Caesar and Brutus, whom he begat. The story is about a young presidential campaign employee who believes in the sincerity and honesty of the one he works for - a contender for the presidency of the United States - a tough but worthy politician.

"Tu quoque, Brute, fili mi!" / “And you, Brutus, my son!” - a phrase attributed to Julius Caesar.

Once faced with an unpleasant fact about the biography of the applicant (George Clooney), a young political strategist (Ryan Gosling) does everything to protect his idol, but accidentally puts himself at risk. Before him, like the ancient goddess of retribution Nemisis, appears a hunter for sensational truth - journalist Ida. It is she who plays the role of the ancient Ides of March: dividing life into “before” and “after”. “Before” - purity of thoughts and ambition. “After” is dirty laundry that unites both heroes.

Each of them will have to choose between moral principles and disruption of the order of things, some clear consistency and the desire to achieve a goal at any cost.

“The big advantage goes to those who made mistakes early enough to learn from.” Winston Churchill

History does not tolerate the subjunctive mood; it definitely develops in a spiral - these are axioms. But there is also the human factor, which, if it has the will, can one day destroy any of the axioms. George Clooney leaves the question open - will the modern analogue of Brutus repeat the action of his historical predecessor, just by answering one simple question: “Steven, tell me how it all happened?”