Dearest reader,
Your author hopes that by celebrating the Ides of March, you are not anticipating vengeance and bloodshed, for that would be terribly untoward. Contrary to popular belief, the Ides of March was actually quite the important Roman holiday. Your author was rather surprised to find the Ides of March as a happy holiday, once upon a time.
Without Shakespeare, we may not even use this phrase "the Ides" anymore. Indeed, in a 31-day month such as March, the Romans would have accounted for the days thusly:
- Day 1: The Kalends
- Days 2–6: Before the Nones
- Day 7: The Nones
- Day 8 - 14: Before the Ides
- Day 15: The Ides
- Day 16 - End: Before the Kalends
So indeed, your author shall celebrate the Ides of March, for it means we are not yet upon the Ides of April, which is typically tax day here in the United States. And that is something to celebrate!
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