Toe in the Water

Ides

Ides

Today would be the ides of August, if only the Romans hadn't decided that just March, May, July and October should have their ides on the 15th. The other months have ides on the 13th of the month. So the ides of August have already passed us by without notice.

It seems reasonable to assume that "ides" has something to do with the middle of the month, but that would mean the months with the 13th as their ides would only be 26 days long. The matter is complicated by the full moon having some influence, apparently, and then there's the adding to the Roman calendar of two more months to really confuse the whole thing.

Which probably explains why we take absolutely no notice of the business.