Beware obscure calendrical references

Julius Caesar was stabbed in the back by his friend on March 15 in 44 B.C, fulfilling the Oracle's prophesy, "Beware the Ides of March."

Until today, I didn't give Caesar much credit. If some old bat told me to watch out for a specific day, you'd better believe I would spend that day locked in a closet somewhere. Obviously the guy was superstitious; otherwise he wouldn't have made the trip to the Oracle in the first place. Until today, I sort of thought if Julius Caesar was dumb enough to be out and about on the Ides of March he had it coming.

But today I read a little about the Ides. Previously I thought it was just a fancy term for the 15th of the month. And it is--in March, May, July or October. But it is the 13th day in any other month. Oh, and it can also mean the seven days preceding the 15th (or 13th). So Caesar had been acting paranoid for a whole week by the time March 15 rolled around. No wonder people wanted to stab him.

So now I have some questions for the Oracle. That bitch. If I spent my days hopped up on volcanic fumes in some mountain, you'd better believe I'd be a little more forthcoming with important information. Her foresight was remarkably prescient, and if she didn't get her kicks from being withholding I think we could have avoided this whole messy stab-your-buddy-in-the-back incident.