It is not nine days until the Ides of March

[conuly]

Despite the title of this MetaFilter post, it is, in fact, ten days until the Ides.

Count it with me: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Ten numbers = ten days.

Because the Romans practiced inclusive counting, and also, they always counted backwards rather than numbering the days and going forwards like we do.. The Ides is the Ides, and the day before that is pridie Ides, and the day before that is "three days before the Ides".

Today is pridie Nones.

Comments

[adafrog]

Cool.

[fox]

The day before the day before the Ides is three days before the Ides? . . . that must also be how they look at Good Friday and Easter Sunday, 36 hours apart, and call it three days. TIL.

[conuly]

The day before the day before the Ides is three days before the Ides?

That's correct, and it's the same for the Nones and the Kalends as well.

That must also be how they look at Good Friday and Easter Sunday, 36 hours apart, and call it three days.

That makes sense.

[silveradept]

And we use this knowledge to make sure we're not early to the ritual stabbings, it sounds like.