Ides of March

"Beware the Ides of March" - I wonder how many young people of today have even heard that expression? Do they know it refers to March 15? Do they know the saying comes from the slaying of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C.? Legend tells us a soothsayer had whispered to Caesar to "beware the Ides of March" because there was an assassination plot against him. Ever since then the "Ides of March" has held a sense of foreboding. Do highschoolers even have to memorize the "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" speech anymore?
I have to admit it was awhile before I realized every month - not just March - had an ides. The word simply means middle. In the ancient Roman calendar for the months of March, May, July and October, the ides were the 15th. For all other months they were the 13th.
Personally, I do not remember anything awful happening to me on March 15. It is just another day - two days away from St. Patrick's Day and five from the Spring Equinox - much more meaningful dates.
I am more troubled by the idea that my grandchildren aren't learning about the Ides of March than I am worried about something sinister happening on this day. Is it important in the grand scheme of their lives? Probably not. Not any worse than learning the difference between 'their' and 'there' and 'they're' or 'too' and 'two' and 'to' or 'your' and 'you're'. With today's spelling shortened to the symbols of texting, the ability to spell doesn't seem to matter.
Last week there was a segment on the local television news about how well current college students could spell - that with "spell check" on their computers, they didn't worry about spelling when writing a paper - they rely on "spell check". Only two students out of the sixty tested spelled every word correctly. I don't use spell check though I probably should. I'm sure more errors than I would be comfortable with slip through my writings. If I am in doubt of the spelling of a word, I refer to my trusty Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, copyright 1971. Not only do I check the spelling and meaning of the word in question, I read the words and meanings of several entries around that word. I just plain love words or etymology if you will.
The Pisces New Moon also occurs today. Does that add even more portent to the Ides of March? Pisces is the sign of the fish. Could that mean water might be involved with what happens? Perhaps the flooding we've been hearing about for the past week or so will finally occur?
So far today, the only bad thing that has happened to me is losing at Cribbage. On the positive side, Rodney if four months old today. And Dominique is eight months away from getting her driver's permit.