History

[History] Beware the Ides of March…But Why??

/ Rudy Carrera / Leave a comment

A fun post for those interested in Julius Caesar, Shakespeare’s words and history in general.

Read Martin Stezano’s article here, courtesy of The Old Town Cryer Blog.

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Beware the Ides of March…But Why??

By Martin Stezano

It’s unlikely even Shakespeare could have predicted how his famous phrase would have evolved.

Not only did William Shakespeare’s words stick, they branded the phrase with a dark and gloomy connotation that will forever make people uncomfortable. It’s probable that many people who use the phrase today don’t know its true origin. In fact, just about every pop culture reference to the Ides—save for those appearing in actual history-based books, movies or television specials—makes it seem like the day itself is cursed.

But the Ides of March actually has a non-threatening origin story. Kalends, Nones and Ides were ancient markers used to reference dates in relation to lunar phases. Ides simply referred to the first full moon of a given month, which usually fell between the 13th and 15th. In fact, the Ides of March once signified the new year…

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[Podcasts] The Discovery of Middle Earth: Mapping the Lost World of the Celts by Graham Robb

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From the John Batchelor podcast site:

A treasure hunt that uncovers the secrets of one of the world’s great civilizations, revealing dramatic proof of the extreme sophistication of the Celts, and their creation of the earliest accurate map of the world.

Fifty generations ago the cultural empire of the Celts stretched from the Black Sea to Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland. In six hundred years, the Celts had produced some of the finest artistic and scientific masterpieces of the ancient world. In 58 BC, Julius Caesar marched over the Alps, bringing slavery and genocide to western Europe. Within eight years the Celts of what is now France were utterly annihilated, and in another hundred years the Romans had overrun Britain. It is astonishing how little remains of this great civilization.

To purchase the book, go here.

This Week’s Six Pillars – Outside the Turner Prize — Six Pillars

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The Turner Prize (est. 1984) is awarded annually to an artist born, living or working in Britain, for an outstanding exhibition presentation of their work anywhere in the world the previous year. However the jury is specifically composed of national and international curators, writers and even musicians. What does this self-consciously British show look like […]

via This Week’s Six Pillars – Outside the Turner Prize — Six Pillars

The blog is absolutely one of the best culture blogs going today.  It’s worth following, and will turn you on to bands, events and projects you won’t get much exposure to elsewhere.

[Art/History] The Social Historian: Just A Quick List of 17th Century Euphemisms For Being Drunk

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From John Ray, A Collection of English Proverbs (1678). ‘Disguised.’ ‘To have a piece of bread and cheese in your head.’ ‘He’s drunk more than he has bled.’ (ouch) ‘Been in the sun.’ ‘Had a jag.’ ‘Had a load.’ ‘To have got a dish.’ ‘To have had a cup too much.’ ‘To be one and […]

via Just a quick list of 17th century euphemisms for being drunk… — The Social Historian