Beware the Ides of March???

Back in the day, say about 1st century BC, the Ides of March were simply another reason to celebrate.  It would roughly equate to Wednesday, half the week is done, half the week till the weekend.

In the lunar Roman calendar month there were three important dates:

• Kalends  - originally thought to be associated with the new moon, it was the first day of the month and was then, as it is now, the day the bills fall due.  At the beginning of the year Kalends is New Years Day.
• Nones – the seventh day of the month and associated with the half moon.  Also the day the month’s Feriae, or free festival days, were announced.
• Ides -  mid-month generally the 15th day, associated with the full moon.  The Ides of March were a festive occasion with parades to honor Mars, the Roman God of War.

Confusingly, the other days of the month were referred to by their relation to the closest forward of these three dates and counting backwards from it.  The 30th of October would be called III Kalends November.  Funny how this never caught on past the Middle Ages.

 

     The Historical Inebriant:  Bloody Caesar
     http://cocktails.about.com/od/vodkadrinkrecipes/r/bloody_caesar.htm

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz vodka
• 4 oz clamato juice
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• dash of Tabasco sauce
• celery salt
• lime wedge
• pepper to taste
• celery salt
• celery stalk for garnish

Rim a highball glass with juice from a lime wedge and a combination of celery salt and salt.
Add the vodka and clamato juice.
Season with pepper, Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces to taste.
Stir well.

Et tu, Brute?