POTPOURRI
“Ides of March”
“Beware the Ides of March”… is a line from Shakespearean tragedy Julius Caesar, which itself is based on the assassination of Gaius Julius Caesar, the Ancient Roman general and statesman. And, as presented in the play, “… a soothsayer foresees Caesar’s death at the hands of sixty Roman senators and utters this phrase to warn him. Not heeding the warning, Caesar goes to a session of the Senate and is fatally stabbed by his peers.”
However, Did You Know—
- “The Ides of March is the 74th day in the Roman calendar… More specifically, the Ides are the fifteenth day of the months of March, May, July, or October, and the thirteenth day of the remaining months. The Ides were the designated days for settling debt each month in the Roman empire and generally included the seven days preceding the Ides for this purpose. No doubt debtors who could not pay their debts considered the Ides to be unlucky days as they were typically thrown into prison or forced into slavery.”
- “When is Ides of March 2024??— As the word ‘ides’ refers to the middle of the month, the Ides of March is on March 15. And, contrary to popular superstitious belief surrounding its origins, Ides simply marks the first day of the full moon in every month.”
- Kevin K. Walker (62, financial counsellor)
“I travel a lot as you can imagine; so, for me, Ides of March indicates ‘Spring is Here!!’. And, as you realize, money is my business, and consequently I’m following the daily movements in the U.S. Stock Exchange. For me, March is ‘Spring Forward’ relative to U.S. and World time zones.”
“I do realize we no longer ‘Fall Back’ in November (as we had done in the past years) but this outdated mantra still keeps me on my toes… Now, let me hasten to add, that since I am a kind of ‘Travellin’ Man’, for me March also means—NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL AND ‘MARCH MADNESS’!!! – And for that reason alone, I usually take side trips to Las Vegas and get really serious in the Sportsbook gambling scene there. I’m sure you all realize that Nevada is the only state in the Union that allows legal betting on all major individual sporting events. That fact alone draws thousands to Vegas every year!!”
“Believe me—REAL MARCH MADNESS IN LAS VEGAS, BABY!!!—
- Sean “Paddy” O’Sullivan (66, electronics engineer)
“Really, now… What more do I have to say?? My name, my whole being tells you, –’I’M IRISH’!!! C’mon… Ides of March?? Nonsense. March is all about—ST. PADDY’S DAY, MARCH 17!!!” … Also, did you know that Saint Patrick’s Day was perceived as the middle day of Spring in the Irish calendar?? People expected that weather would be improved following the festival, and farmers would begin planting potato.”
“Believe the ‘SECRET LEPRECHAUN” in me; I know where I’ll be on that sacred Irish Feast Day of St. Patrick—where else but MURPHYS BAR & GRILL on Merchant St, downtown Honolulu. I’ve already put my order in for my regular—Gaelic Steak; Fish N’ Chips… ‘Me Pint of Ale’… ‘SLAINTE!!!”
“ERIN GO BRAGH”
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STORY SUBMITTED BY:
E. Tiwanak
IMAGES PROVIDED BY:
Puanani/Internet
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