Beware, be vigilant for “The Ides of March”
Today is the first day of what used to be the first month of the ancient Roman calendar, until they added January and February in 150 B.C. March was named after the Roman god of war, Martius or Mars. Martius was the mythical ancestor of the Roman people via the wolf-sucking brothers Romulus and Remus. March is quite a risky month. Many earth-shaking things may happen, like terrorist activities, election-related murders, political betrayals, and revenge.
The term "Ides of March'' was popularized by literary genius William Shakespeare in his masterpiece “Julius Caesar.” It was about the murder of Julius Caesar on the 15th of March 44 B.C. by a conspiracy of 60 senators and their cohorts, including Brutus, Caesar's trusted friend, and the latter's co-conspirator, Cassius. The 2011 movie of the same title, “The Ides of March” under the direction of George Clooney, was highly acclaimed worldwide and grossed no less than $76 million within a few days of opening. Both Shakespeare's masterpiece and the Clooney movie told the true story of the assassination of the Julius Caesar by his own friends and trustees. It was betrayal in the highest order, comparable to Judas' treachery against his master, Jesus Christ.
The word "ides" means the middle, and so the ides of March means the fifteenth of this month. Considering, however, that it is election time in the Philippines, we choose to warn politicians and their leaders and followers that March is the month of violence, deaths and betrayals. The fifteenth of March also marked the deadline for paying debts in the ancient Roman tradition. According to the writer and philosopher Plutarch, a seer warned Caesar about the conspiracy to murder him, but the latter defied the warning and proceeded to appear before the Senate, never expecting that he would meet his death in the hands of his beloved friend, Brutus.
Caesar's murder marked a turning point in the history of Rome. It triggered a civil war wherein thousands died. The armed conflict led to the meteoric rise of Octavian, Caesar's adopted son. Octavian was later called Augustus Caesar. He vowed to avenge the death of his much-revered adoptive father, Julius. In 40 BC or four years, after the assassination, Augustus executed no less than 300 senators and soldiers who opposed his reign and who somehow were related to the killing of his adoptive father. That killing was considered by the ancient Romans as the most despicable act that could be done against the ruling class. The famous writer, Ovid, called it sacrilege because the late Julius Caesar was also the de-officio Pontifex Maximus of Rome and a priest of Vesta.
March 1 is also a tragic day in Europe. On March 1, 2007, a detachment of 170 Swiss infantrymen accidentally invaded the friendly neighboring tiny state of Liechtenstein when they got lost on a training mission. That accidental invasion almost triggered a war in Europe, and could have started the third world war, if not for the timely and persuasive intervention by cooler heads in the European Union. March is also important to many nations as a number of wars and disasters took place in this month. The Philippines considers March important because Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines on March 16, 1521.
As national elections approach in a matter of a little more than two months, we also warn candidates and their leaders and supporters to be very careful. Murderers and assassins are lurking anywhere and treachery can strike anytime. Beware of the “Ides of March.” Anything and everything can happen to you and your loved ones.
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