This Wednesday will be the 74th day of the year, which admittedly doesn't sound like something to get too excited about. But it is not just any old day. Known in Roman times as the "Ides of March" the 15th marks the anniversary of the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC.
It may have been a long time ago, but the story of the demise of Caesar is not without its relevance today. It's the tale of the pitfalls of power, political conspiracy, treachery, betrayal and back-stabbing. This is something politicians around the world and possibly nearer to home are all familiar with.
You still see newspaper headlines with variations on "Et tu Brute?" when a politician gets shafted, although maybe not in such a violent manner that befell Caesar.
It is disputed whether Caesar actually uttered those famous words with his dying breath when he saw Brutus. But it's still a wonderfully emotive utterance and for that we have to thank William Shakespeare. The Bard did much to keep the narrative of Caesar alive after adapting his life story in a play in 1599.
My introduction to the Ides of March came as a kid when our school play was Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. It was compulsory to attend and tough going for the schoolboy actors facing a disinterested juvenile audience more familiar with Coronation Street or Rawhide.
I recall being amused that the "ancient" soothsayer who came out with the iconic forecast of doom "beware the Ides of March" was a 14-year-old classmate with a squeaky voice. He also had a dodgy theatrical beard which made him look like a cross between Santa Claus and Billy Connolly.
Toga time
These days the Ides of March tend to be little more than an excuse to hold a ghastly Toga Party with people wearing bedsheets getting totally plastered. But if you are at a bit of a loose end on Wednesday and prepared to look ridiculous, get those bedsheets out, find a few leaves to stick on your head, put on the sandals, or even flip-flops, and have a party.
If you really want to get into it you might find a useful Latin phrase "cogito sumere potum alterum " (I think I'll have another drink). But beware, if you overdo it you might end up complaining "crapulam terriblem habeo" (I've got a terrible hangover).
Another word of warning. Togas can look quite unattractive when covered in wine and spaghetti stains.
Hail Caesar
If you are not in a party mood but still wish to acknowledge the Ides of March, the alternative is to go out and enjoy tasty Italian food helped down by some Roman plonk. It would also seem an appropriate time to sample Caesar Salad.
Alas we don't have Julius Caesar to thank for that famous salad but an Italian immigrant to the US by the name of Caesar Cardini. He was a restaurateur and first came up with the salad bearing his name in 1924. It proved so popular it became a big hit in Hollywood and later in New York.
Senor Cardini lived in San Diego but opened a restaurant across the Mexican border in Tijuana where the salad was a big hit. It was originally called Aviator Salad because many of the customers were airmen who flew from the US to Tijuana to escape Prohibition.
Perhaps next time you taste Caesar Salad spare a thought for the man who started it all.
The Ides of rock
There is actually a vintage rock band called Ides of March which had a big hit back in 1970 with the song "Vehicle". Formed in 1964 as the Shon-Dels they became the Ides of March in 1966 at the suggestion of bass player Bob Bergland who had studied Julius Caesar in high school.
Amazingly the band is still touring. Although there have been additions to the group the four original members are still playing and it is claimed they are the "Longest Touring Original Band in Musical History". That's a good one for a pub quiz.
In fine feather
I visited Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon a couple of times but confess I can't remember too much about it except that the place was full of American tourists. They also seemed to know a lot more than me about the Bard of Avon, which admittedly wasn't that difficult.
Interestingly Shakespeare was not appreciated by a number of famous authors. Eighteenth century French writer Voltaire once commented "Shakespeare is a drunken savage". Russian author Leo Tolstoy agreed, calling the Bard and his works "crude, immoral, vulgar and senseless".
Even Charles Darwin was not convinced, saying Shakespeare's work was "so intolerably dull it nauseated me".
But Shakespeare had a staunch supporter in the form of American film producer Sam Goldwyn who once said of the Bard's works: "Fantastic! And it was all written with a feather!"
Rewriting history
For a unique view of Shakespeare's work there follows two examples of student exam papers that were submitted to Dr Ron Gibson of the University of Texas.
One student came up with: "William Shakespeare lived in Windsor with his merry wives writing comedies, tragedies and errors."
Shakespeare would have no doubt been surprised to learn from another student that: "Hamlet rations out his situation by relieving himself on a long soliloquy."
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