In the tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act I, Scene 2, a soothsayer makes his way to the crowd around Julius Caesar, a brutal dictator. His message to Caesar is “Beware the Ides of March.” It is an ominous statement that rings down through the ages, portending unhappy happenings. It is often quoted in anything from a casual “heads-up” or merry joke to a genuine threat.

According to Britannica, — “The term Ides derives from the Latin word iduare (Latin: “to divide”), with the full moon serving as the division point in the middle of each month. In the ancient Roman calendar, months were divided according to the lunar cycle into three groups of days. The Ides corresponded with the rise of the full moon in the middle of the month, …”

We could have a basket-full of reasons to be superstitious today. It is Friday, the 13th, a pinnacle in the hierarchy of superstitions. “The Ides of March” is just two days away. There was a full moon as I started writing this episode, and almost simultaneously, the USA invaded Iran (unprovoked). So There! Superstitious people can run the spectrum from high school athletes, always wearing a specific piece of apparel for good luck, to other people, compulsively performing certain rituals every day, without fail, to ensure certain outcomes.

Superstitions aren’t unhealthy and often exist because of a long-forgotten belief that was normative for the time, said Dr. Eric Storch, professor and vice chair of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. But there’s a point where being superstitious can become problematic.

Superstitions are basically innocuous and are enjoyed by countless people. Author Sarah Loudin Thomas, in Appalachianhistory.net, listed several of these harmless superstitions:

  • Always leave a building through the same door you entered it.
  • If you see a black cat crossing the road in front of you, draw an X in the air three times to avoid bad luck.
  • When you harvest apples from a tree, leave at least one to keep the devil away.
  • If you spill salt, throw a pinch over your left shoulder. Again, this keeps the devil away. 

The danger of latching onto a superstition, according to Dr. Storch, is when it begins to interfere with your life; then, you have a problem. Otherwise, enjoy Friday-the-thirteenth! Oh. And Beware the Ides of March!

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2026