Ahhh, the Ides of March. For those of you unfamiliar, the Ides of March is the 15th of March – the first day of Spring on the Roman Calendar … and the day Julius Caesar was stabbed to death. Good times …
In honor of this occassion, an excerpt from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Act I, Scene II:
SCENE II. A public place.
Flourish. Enter CAESAR; ANTONY, for the course; CALPURNIA, PORTIA, DECIUS BRUTUS, CICERO, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and CASCA; a great crowd following, among them a Soothsayer
CAESAR
Calpurnia!CASCA
Peace, ho! Caesar speaks.CAESAR
Calpurnia!CALPURNIA
Here, my lord.CAESAR
Stand you directly in Antonius’ way,
When he doth run his course. Antonius!ANTONY
Caesar, my lord?CAESAR
Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,
To touch Calpurnia; for our elders say,
The barren, touched in this holy chase,
Shake off their sterile curse.ANTONY
I shall remember:
When Caesar says ‘do this,’ it is perform’d.CAESAR
Set on; and leave no ceremony out.Flourish
Soothsayer
Caesar!CAESAR
Ha! who calls?CASCA
Bid every noise be still: peace yet again!CAESAR
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.Soothsayer
Beware the ides of March. read more
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