The Wild Hunt

The origin of Sinterklaas (Santa Claus) and his helpers has sometimes been associated with the "Wild Hunt" of the Norse wind God, Odin.  [Teutonic god, Woden].  The Wild Hunt is also known from post-medieval folklore, and evokes images of the frenzy of battle, and the terror inspired by death. 

The Wild Hunt by Franz von Stuck

The Wild Hunt is a folk tale originating from Europe, and involves a group of huntsman who are presumed ghosts, who pass through the wild in pursuit of humans as game. 

These hunters may be assumed as fairies, elves or even the dead.  The leader of the Hunt is Odin, and all of whom are lost spirits, both male and female.  Odin passes through persistent darkening skies, amidst great mid-winter storms of angry wind, clapping thunder and violent lightening.
  

Odin appears on his gallant white horse, called Sleipnir, who carries him swiftly through the air, leading his army of lost souls.  Sleipnir also possessed 8 legs, which must have aided him in his ability to carry Odin very swiftly, with his feet never touching the earth.

Odin's ever-present companions are two black ravens, Huginn and Muninn, who were the carriers of news - the good or bad behavior of the mortals, below - and report back to Odin, after listening to people through their rooftops.   Huginn and Muninn's role as Odin's messengers have long been associated with shamanic practices, the Norse raven banner, general raven symbolism among the Germanic peoples, and the Norse concepts of the fylgja (is a spirit who accompanies a person in connection to their fate or fortune) and the hamingja (either the personification of the good fortune or luck of an individual or family, or the altered appearance of shape-shifters).

In his nocturnal procession, are huge, vicious, black hounds that bay ceaselessly through the icy winds, and have been described as having red eyes the size of saucers. 

"The Bearer of Death is a term used in describing the Hellhound. Hellhounds have been said to be as black as coal and smell of burning brimstone. They tend to leave behind a burned area wherever they go. Their eyes are a deep, bright, and almost glowing red. They have razor sharp teeth, super strength and speed, and are commonly associated with graveyards and the underworld. Hellhounds are called The Bearers of Death because they were supposedly created by ancient demons to serve as heralds of death. According to legend, seeing one leads to a person's death. Sometimes it is said to be once; other times it requires three sightings for the curse to take effect and kill the victim. These factors make the Hellhound a feared symbol and worthy of the name “Bearer of Death”. The Hellhound has been seen several times throughout history, and it is not specific to any one place. The most recent sightings occurred in Connecticut, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, and Vilseck, Germany, in or near cemeteries."  -wiki

Artwork by Howard Johnson, source: pinterest

Finally, as part of his war-band, and at this side, Odin is also accompanied by his warrior wife, Frigga [Frig or Frigg].   Frigg is known as the goddess of motherhood and marriage, and the keeper of domestic arts.  She possesses the power of prophecy, but does not disclose this information.  Frigg is the wife of Odin, queen of the Æsir, and goddess of the sky.  To underline the importance of Frigg as part of the Wild Hunt, one must consider that she is the only one who is permitted to sit on Odin's high seat "Hlidskjalf" and look out over the universe. 

If you were unfortunate enough to witness the Wild Hunt, you may be the hapless augur of such events like war, pestilence or the plague and surely, death will follow.  

Some mortals who did not meet their demise as witnesses, would mysteriously vanish, and may have been carried into the Underworld or a Fairy Kingdom, as the soul was pulled from the body to join the army of the soul-less. 

Melissa Snark, wrote:  "As people continued to settle in the region, Odin’s path for the Wild Hunt remained unchanged. Once he traveled a road, he would continue to travel it for eternity, so people who tried to build their houses on the old roads he once used would find their home’s burnt down as a result of his hunt. In fact, it was best to leave his routes completely untouched, as anything within his path would be set ablaze in his wake.


To protect themselves during the Wild Hunt, people learned to throw themselves at the ground when the host stampeded through the area to avoid getting hit. They also took to carrying a piece of steel and a piece of bread with them as they made their way to church for Yule. They believed that throwing the bread for the dogs if they encountered them first would offer some protection. If, on the other hand, they first encountered a rider wearing a broad-rimmed hat, they would throw the piece of steel in front of them. Still others believed they could avoid being swept up altogether by the hunt if they asked the riders for parsley."

There is a bright side, however.  If one joined the Wild Hunt, in earnest and sincerity, one may be rewarded with silver or gold.  

Google Images, Artists not cited

“When the winter winds blow and the Yule fires are lit, it is best to stay indoors, safely shut away from the dark paths and the wild heaths. Those who wander out by themselves during the Yule-nights may hear a sudden rustling through the tops of the trees – a rustling that might be the wind, though the rest of the wood is still.“But then the barking of dogs fills the air, and the host of wild souls sweeps down, fire flashing from the eyes of the black hounds and the hooves of the black horses.” -Kveldulf Hagen Gundarsson 

Peter Nicolai Arbo (1831–1892) - Title "Norsk bokmål: Asgårdsreien,  1872

Gif images - tumblr

Vampire Defense

“Evil is a point of view. We are immortal. And what we have before us are the rich feasts that conscience cannot appreciate and mortal men cannot know without regret. God kills, and so shall we; indiscriminately He takes the richest and the poorest, and so shall we; for no creatures under God are as we are, none so like Him as ourselves, dark angels not confined to the stinking limits of hell but wandering His earth and all its kingdoms.”  ― Anne Rice, Interview with the Vampire

The vampire is a loathsome creature, who appears in human form, and is sustained by drinking the blood (also known as "feeding") from living beings, like you and I.   Naturally, we want to defend ourselves from an immortal existence and there are many ways in which we can employ self-protection.

Today, one can easily find, online at auction or generally for sale, "Vampire Hunter Kits" - also known as - "Vampire Defense Kits".  Some kits may be vintage, but are not actually an authentic tool used during the height of this superstition.   These kits are most likely made in the 1930's or perhaps even later and were made to look older than they actually are.   These kits can even be "made to order", today.  Speculation is that they were produced after the publication of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" in 1897, and were more likely intended as souvenirs or novelties.    Buyer, Beware!

If the contents were indeed real, here are the many ways in which you may use to defend yourself against the un-dead. There are also many superstitions that may grant you some form of protection against these evil beings.  

"Apotropaics" or apotropaic magic are a means in which one may defend against evil or harm, and may deflect misfortune.  If you have a lucky charm, or sprinkle salt over your shoulder, or hang a horseshoe over your door, you are practicing this type of magic!  Common items, such as garlic or holy water that are supposedly used to ward off those who returned from the dead and are common in vampire folklore. 



Branch of a wild rose - may harm or ward off a vampire



Candles

Used for ceremonies like exorcisms, prayers, and seeing in the dark.



Crossbow and Bolts

Crossbows were useful when employed for range.  The tip of the bolt may be dipped in silver, however, silver is not effective means to ward off the vampire. 



Crucifix

A symbol of Christ, it was commonly held facing toward the vampire, who balked in its presence. Sometimes, it was attached to a chain from which the slayer could rapidly pull it out.  The crucifix was often made of silver.   This tool is one of the most important manners in which one can repel a vampire, and if it touches the skin of the undead, it will burn them similar to an acid.



Decapitation / Dismemberment

One of the easiest methods to kill a vampire is to simply lob off its head, and then to burn it along with the remaining body (which should also be dismembered). See "Fire". Decapitation was also the means in which one could expedite the departure of one's soul. 




Entry

It is common knowledge that a vampire will not enter your home, unless you invite him/her.  Once the invitation is extended, however, they may enter or leave at will. 



Eucharist 

Holy wafers are used to place over the lips of the dead, as a form of protection against vampirism; or, may be placed around the grave as a circle of protection so that the undead may not enter. 

Fire

The method of burning a vampire is used in conjunction with the decapitation and dismemberment method.  After the body is in pieces, the remaining parts must be thoroughly burned. 



Garlic

Garlic has been used in defense against vampirism, as they notoriously despise this herb and repel against it.  Consequently, garlic was placed into a deceased person's mouth to prevent a vampire from feeding upon the victim.




Graveyard

A vampire will not be able to use his power on consecrated grounds such as a church yard or a cemetery.  You will be safe to retreat to these places.




Hammer

Some hammers were fashioned with a crucifix styled into the head. Its size was approximately six to seven inches long, and was what is used to drive a stake into the body of the vampire.




Holy Water

This was used to sprinkle on the vampire for both protection of the hunter, the surrounding area in which they occupied, or used directly on the vampire to harm it.




Incense

The pungent odor arising from this may have been used ceremoniously, whether it be used for protection or to ward off the evil spirit which lay in the vampire’s body.



Knives and Daggers

Some were used for throwing while others were specifically used for close combat.



Lemon

In Saxon regions of Germany, a lemon was placed in the mouth of suspected vampires.



Metal Teeth Pliers

Nothing more than a common tool, these were used to remove the long teeth or fangs of vampires.  



Mirrors

Mirrors are used to ward off vampires when placed facing outwards, on a door.  You can also verify if the individual is indeed a vampire, as they do not have a reflection, or they may not cast a shadow which helps to substantiate their lack of having a soul.    



Mustard Seed

Sprinkled over the roof of one's home will protect you against these intruders.



Oils and Ointments

Commonly used as repellents, any consecrated oil or ointment can be used to place directly on oneself or an object



Prayer Book or Bible

Holy verses, quotes or readings may be used for performing exorcisms.




Pistols

Everyone knows that bullets do NOT kill vampires.  Bullets - exclusively silver bullets - are used to kill werewolves, never vampires.



Running Water

Such as a brook or stream - vampires will not cross either.  I would caution you, however, to not rely on this as a means of defense, as a vampire can not only change forms, such as transforming into a bat or wolf, I would suggest that there is no reason why he would not leap over running water, if his thirst was great; or perhaps, his anger, high.



Stakes

Stakes were driven into the hearts of the vampires by use of the hammer.  A suspected vampire's grave could be unearthed and a stake would be driven through the corpse, to pin it to the ground. Holy water, Eucharists, and/or oils or ointments could be administered directly onto its body to prevent it from reanimating and could be either driven through the mouth, the heart or the stomach depending upon from what region the superstition came.  Popular choices of wood to make stakes were Ash, Hawthorne or Oak.



Sunlight

One of the most vulnerable aspects of a vampire is to expose them to sunlight, which may disintegrate them, instantly.  This is why they are only active at night.

Here is my shadow... from the streets of Chicago...

...and, here I am, also in Chicago, - and my reflection is real.  Whew!  Glad we got that nasty piece of business out of the way!

Lions and Lambs of March

A couple weeks ago, it was the first of March and Super Tuesday in Vermont, and seemed to have "come in like a lion".   We The People, cast our preliminary ballots and I am still reeling from the results.  A surreal tragicomedy seems to be playing out before our eyes and apparently, our salvation rests on an Independent Batman to subdue the reckless Republican thug, the Joker.   I can only conclude, that all of the work that has been done to secure our civil and inalienable rights, in the name of humanity, are being ridiculed, and challenged in a way that I never dreamed I would see.  It seems fitting that Super Tuesday would occur in March, a month named for Mars - the Roman God of War.

"Mars, God of War" by Velázquez

Few people realize that March was originally the first month of the year in the Roman calendar, because of its association with the first day of spring. The vernal equinox falls during this month between the 19th and 21st where day and night are finally of equal length.  In antiquity, March was also the time when war would resume after winter months.  "The Book of Days" by Kay and Marshall Lee write, "For thousands of years of man, a year was the lifetime of nature, the inevitable process of conception, birth, flowering, death and decay; spring, summer, autumn winter.  Until only two hundred and some years ago in the English-speaking world, law followed nature....New Year's Day is still March 21st - the time of spring equinox..."

Lear Charles Hutton, "A Glimpse Of The Fairies"

This month is steeped in old sayings of folklore, but also seem to incorporate real life - and the 'twixt shall meet - as lore and literature seem frequently indistinguishable.  The result is many short yarns, anecdotes and proverbs which seem to mix nature, fantasy and reality.  Here are some fabulous (and archaic) examples old lore pertaining to the month of March, from the Encyclopedia of Superstitions, Folklore, and the Occult Sciences of the World by Cora Linn Daniels, C. M. Stevans:

MARCH LORE

• If a death occurs on the 22nd of March, 2 more will follow at once in a neighborhood.

• A bushel of March dust is worth a king’s ransom.

• If at crescent moon in March the weather is foggy it is believed a sign of heavy thundershowers and hailstorms in the future.

• If March comes in with adder’s head, it goes out with a peacock’s tail.

• The first three days of March are unlucky.

• The Greek believed that the March sun makes people black.  To prevent this, take a thread of white and a thread of red silk, twist them together and tie it around your arm, leg or neck.

• “When March the twenty-first is past, Just watch the silvery moon, And when you see it full and round, Know Easter’ll be here soon.”

• “The first the greedy glutton slays, The fourth cuts short the drunkard days.”

• One should never marry in March, save for one day:  The 27th, otherwise it is very unlucky.  To be married on the 27th day, St. John of Egypt will bless the marriage with kindness and love until the very end.  They will obtain great wealth and have many rosy-cheeked children.

• Only 8 other days are lucky in March:  1, 2, 5, 8, 12, 16, 28 and 29.

• Astronomers say that the 1st of August, the 4th of September and the 11th of March are the most injurious to Let Blood.

• On the first day of March, before the storks return from their migration from the South, women should twist two different yarns together and then with her hands held behind her back, attempt to pass it through a large eye of a needle.  She must then ask who her enemies are.  If one is named, she must visualize sewing up the mouth of that person so that no further ill may be spoken. This is repeated for each known enemy.  When the ritual ends, she is to then cut the cords into equal lengths to tie around each family member until the storks return from the South.  Upon seeing the first stork, the ties are removed and thrown out of doors so they storks may take them to help build their nests.

• “In January if the sun appear, March and April pay full dear.”

• Girls can predict their future husband, in March, with the help of their shoes!  At bed time, they should place the shoes to form the letter “T” and say out loud, “Hoping this night my true love to see, I placed my shoes in the form of a T.”  If the chant is successful, she will dream of her love.

• In Great Britain and England, the month of March borrows from three days of April:

“The first it shall be wind and weet,

The next it shall be snow and sleet,

The third it shall be sic and freeze,

Shall gar the birds and stick to the trees.”

• There is an ancient belief that people dreaded the March sun.  In Germany, “one had better be bitten by a snake than feel the sun in March.”

• March was dedicated by the old Saxons to the goddess Rhoedea and therefore called “Rhed Month”, Illiyd-Monath, was another name by which it was known.

• After the death of Christ, March has been held with great reverence as Lent is observed.

• In Macedonia, March is the time of year when fleas begin to come into the home.  The first flea found should be caught and bundled in a nettle leaf to take to an abandoned house.  Here the flea is thrown onto the floor and will result in the remaining fleas to follow.

• Winds in March and rain in April promise great blessings in May.

• If at crescent moon in March the weather is very foggy it is believed a sign of heavy thundershowers and hailstorms in the near future.

• Every year in March, the ancient Romans held a ceremony in honor of the God of War, Mars.  It was believed that this would ensure that the city would be peaceful for the remaining year.

• A damp rotten March gives sorrow to Farmers.

• When the cat lies in the sun in February, it will creep behind the stove in March.

• If the March wind blows across the bed, you will sleep well all the rest of the year.

• March grass never did good.

• When March is like April, April will be like March.

• Never speak ill of March.

• March is considered to be an unlucky month, but the first snow that comes in that month, is good for sore eyes if taken after the sun has shone on it.

• February makes a bridge, March breaks it.

• When the North wind does not blow in February, it will blow in March.

• In Bulgaria, March honors women, and it is believed to be a female month.  It is called “Mother March”, and women reign over their husbands.  They do not seek employment during this month, as the Goddess may not send rain which would result in lightening which would set fire to the home.

DID YOU KNOW?

....that the earliest possible Easter happened in March 1818 and will not occur again until 2285?

....the Planet Uranus was discovered on March 13, 1781, by astronomer William Herschel. It is the seventh planet from the Sun. It was originally not thought to be a planet, as it moved so slowly that scientists assumed it to be a star. 

....playing cards were first mentioned in literature, on March 23rd of 1377, in Florence, Italy.

....the multi-talented artist and scientist, Goethe died on March 22, 1832 at the age of 83.  His last words were, "More light!"

...HRH Queen Elizabeth I, died on March 24, 1603.  She was 70 years old.

...on March 28th, in the United States, the first washing machine was patented in 1767.

...in 1889, the Eiffel Tower was completed in Paris on March 31st.

From the 2016 Farmer’s Almanac: 

March is the month of the Full Worm Moon. 

The Full Worm Moon was given its name by the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior. 

At the time of this spring Moon, the ground begins to soften and earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of robins. In some regions, this is also known as the Sap Moon, as it marks the time when maple sap begins to flow and the annual tapping of maple trees begins. 

New Moon: March 8, 8:54 P.M.

First Quarter: March 15, 1:03 P.M. 

Full Moon: March 23, 8:01 A.M. 

Last Quarter: March 31, 11:17 A.M.

GEMSTONE

Daffodils are the birthday flowers for those born in the month of March. They are a symbol of rebirth and new beginnings, and are frequently associated with Easter.  Always give a bunch to ensure happiness.  The Daffodil is also called  Narcissus, which also means  "narcissism", which comes from the word "narke, " and in Greek antiquity, meant deep sleep, stupor or numbness. Narke is also the root of the word "narcotic" as the bulbs actually contain a paralyzing alkaloid which could lead to death if eaten.  "Never give a single daffodil, as bringing a single daffodil into the house will bring misfortune."  

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

by William Wordsworth  

       

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

Famous People ~ March Birthdays



March 1, 1904- Glenn Miller, big bandleader

March 1, 1926, Pete Rozelle, baseball commissioner

March 1, 1935- Robert Conrad, actor

March 1, 1954- Ron Howard, actor, director, "Opie" on Tv series "Andy Griffith"

March 1, 1974- Mark-Paul Gosselaar, actor, "Zack" on Tv series "Saved by the Bell"

March 2, 1779- Joel Roberts Poinsett, American Ambassador to Mexico brought Poinsettias to America.



March 2, 1904 - Theodore Seuss Geisel, "Dr. Seuss"

March 2, 1917- Desi Arnaz- "Ricky Ricardo" on "I Love Lucy"

March 2, 1931- Mikhail Gorbachev, Leader of USSR



March 2, 1950- Karen Carpenter, singer "We've Only Just Begun"

March 2, 1962- Jon Bon Jovi, singer, actor

March 3, 1847- Alexander Graham Bell, invented the telephone

March 3, 1920 - James Doohan, actor, "Scotty" on Tv Series and movies "Star Trek"

March 3, 1962- Jackie Joiner-Kersee, Olympic gold medalist



March 4, 1888- Knute Rockne, Notre Dame's "Fighting Irish" football coach

March 5, 1908- Rex Harrison, actor

March 5, 1936- Dean Stockwell, actor

March 5, 1958- Andy Gibb, member of "Beegees" band

March 5, 1989- Jake Lloyd, actor "Anakin Skywalker" in "Star Wars: Phantom Menace"



March 6, 1475- Michelangelo, Renaissance painter

March 6, 1906- Lou Costello, comedian, of Abbott and Costello

March 6, 1923- Ed McMahon,  "Johnny Carson Tonight Show"

March 6, 1926- Alan Greenspan, Chairman of Federal Reserve

March 6, 1945- Rob Reiner, actor, director

March 6, 1959- Tom Arnold, actor

March 6, 1972- Shaquille O'Neal, NBA star

March 7, 1934- Willard Scott, NBC weatherman



March  8, 1945- Mickey Dolenz, singer, actor, "Mickey" of the "Monkees" 

March 9, 1934- Yuri Gagarin, Russian astronaut, first man in space

March 9, 1943- Bobby Fischer, World Chess champion

March 9, 1971- Emmanuel Lewis, ""Webster" of TV series

March 10, 1928- James Earl Ray, assassinated Martin Luther King Jr.

March 10,  1940 Chuck Norris, martial arts, "Walker" in Tv series "Walker, Texas Ranger"

March 10, 1957-  Osama BIn Laden, Al Queda terrorist leader

March 10, 1958- Sharon Stone, actress, "Basic Instinct"



March 10, 1983- Carrie Underwood, American Idol Winner

March 11, 1903- Lawrence Welk, bandleader

March 11, 1934- Sam Donaldson, TV Journalist

March 12, 1881- Kemmel Ataturk, Turkish leader

March 12, 1923-  Wally Schirra, astronaut

March 12, 1941- Barbara Feldon, actress



March 12, 1946- Liza Minnelli, actress, singer

March 12, 1948- James Taylor, singer

March 12, 1962- Darryl Strawberry, baseball player

March 13, 1855-  Percival Lowell, astronomer

March 13, 1911- L. Ron Hubbard, science fiction writer

March 13, 1939- Neil Sedaka, singer, songwriter

March 14, 1864- Casey Jones, railroad engineer

March 14, 1879- Albert Einstein, physicist



March 14, 1912- Les Brown, and his "Band of Renown"

March 14, 1920- Hank Ketcham, cartoonist, created "Dennis the Menace"

March 14, 1928- Frank Borman, astronaut, airline executive

March 14, 1933 -Michael Caine, actor

March 14, 1947- Billy Crystal, actor, comedian



March 15, 1767- Andrew Jackson, 7th U.S. President(1829-1837), hero of the War of 1812

March 15, 1933- Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court Justice

March 15, 1935- Judd Hirsch, actor, TV series "Taxi"

March 15, 1941- Mike Love, singer, musician, Beach Boys

March 15, 1961- Fabio, actor, model

March 15, 1975- Eva Longoria, actress, TvVseries "Desperate Housewives"

March 16, 1751- James Madison, 4th U.S President(1809-1817)

March 16, 1822- Rosa Bonheur, French painter

March 16, 1906- Henny Youngman, comedian

March 16, 1912- Pat Nixon, Wife of Richard M. Nixon, First Lady

March 16, 1926- Jerry Lewis, actor, comedian

March 16, 1927- Daniel Patrick Moynihan, senator, diplomat

March 16, 1949- Erik Estrada, actor

March 17, 1902- Bobby Jones, golfer



March 17, 1919- Nat "King" Cole, singer

March 17, 1938- Rudolf Nureyev, Russian ballet dancer

March 17, 1945- Tony Dow, actor, brother "Wallie" on Tv series "Leave it to Beaver"

March 17, 1949 -Patrick Duffy, actor "Bobby Ewing" on Tv Series "Dallas"

March 17, 1951- Kurt Russell, actor

March 17, 1964- Rob Lowe, actor

March 18, 1782 -John C. Calhoun, statesman, vice president

March 18, 1837- Grover Cleveland, 22d and 24th U.S. President(1885-1889, 1893-1897)

March 18, 1869- Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister

March 18, 1926- Peter Graves, actor



March 18, 1939- Charley Pride, singer

March 18, 1941- Wilson Pickett, singer, songwriter

March 18, 1963- Vanessa Williams, singer, actress

March 18, 1964- Bonnie Blair, Olympic speedskating champion

March 18, 1970- Queen Latifah, rap singer, actress

March 19, 1589 -William Bradford, Pilgrim/Governor of Plymouth Colony

March 19, 1813- David Livingstone, physician, explorer



March 19, 1848- Wyatt Earp, Wild West lawman

March 19, 1891- Earl Warren, chief justice of the Supreme Court

March 19, 1906 -Adolf Eichmann, Nazi leader

March 19, 1936- Ursula Andress, actress



March 19, 1947- Glenn Close, actress

March 19, 1955- Bruce Willis, actor

March 20, 1906- Ozzie Nelson, Actor, "The Nelsons"

March 20, 1922- Carl Reiner, actor, comedian

March 20, 1928 -Fred Rogers, actor Children's show "Mr. Rogers"



March 20, 1931- Hal Linden, actor, singer

March 20, 1939- Brian Mulroney, Canadian Prime Minister

March 20, 1948- Bobby Orr, hockey player

March 20, 1957- Spike Lee, director, filmmaker



March 21, 1685- Johann Sebastian Bach, musical composer

March 21, 1910- Julio Gallo, California wine vintner

March 21, 1944- Timothy Dalton, actor

March 21, 1962- Matthew Broderick, actor

March 21, 1962- Rosie O'Donnell, TV personality, actress



March 22, 1887- Chico Marx of Marx Brothers 

March 22, 1913- Karl Malden, actor

March 22, 1919- Werner Klemperner, actor

March 22, 1923- Marcel Marceau, mime

March 22, 1930- Pat Robertson, evangelist, presidential candidate



March 22, 1931- William Shatner, actor James T. Kirk, on Srar Trek

March 22, 1934- Orrin Hatch, senator

March 22, 1943- George Benson, singer, musician

March 22, 1948- Andrew Lloyd Webber, composer

March 22, 1952- Bob Costas, sportscaster

March 22, 1959- Matthew Modine, actor



March 23, 1904- Joan Crawford, Oscar winning actress

March 23, 1900- Erich Fromm, psychoanalyst

March 23, 1912- Werner von Braun, rocket pioneer, scientist

March 23, 1929- Roger Bannister, runner, first person to break 4-minute mile

March 23, 1953- Louie Anderson, comedian, actor

March 23, 1953- Chaka Khan, singer

March 24, 1855- Andrew Mellon, financier, industrialist



March 24, 1874- Harry Houdini, magician

March 24, 1893- George Sisler, baseball player

March 24, 1930- Steve McQueen, actor

March 24, 1970- Lara Flynn Boyle, actress

March 24, 1976- Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts All Star Quarterback

March 25, 1871- Gutzon Borglum, sculpted Mt. Rushmore

March 25, 1934- Gloria Steinem, author

March 25, 1942- Aretha Franklin, singer

March 25, 1922- Paul Michael Glaser, actor, director



March 25, 1947- Elton John, singer, songwriter, musician

March 25, 1965- Sarah Jessica Parker, actress

March 26, 1874- Robert Frost, poet

March 26, 1911- Tennessee Williams, playwright

March 26, 1930- Sandra Day O'Connor, Supreme Court justice

March 26, 1931- Leonard Nimoy, actor, director, "Spock" in "Star Trek"

March 26, 1934- Alan Arkin, actor

March 26, 1939- James Caan, actor



March 26, 1944- Diana Ross, singer, actress

March 26, 1950- Martin Short, actor, comedian

March 26, 1960- Marcus Allen, NFL running back, sportscaster

March 26, 1962- John Stockton, basketball player

March 27, 1845- Wilhelm Roentgen, scientist, discovered X-rays



March 27, 1899- Gloria Swanson, actress

March 27, 1931- David Janssen, actor, "The Fugitive"

March 27, 1940- Cale Yarborough, auto racer

March 27, 1963- Randall Cunningham, NFL Quarterback



March 27, 1963- Quentin Tarantino, actor, director

March 27, 1970- Mariah Carey, singer

March 28, 1899- August Anheuser Busch Jr., Beer baron

March 28, 1921- Dirk Bogarde, actor

March 28, 1944- Ken Howard, actor

March 28, 1955- Reba McEntire, country western singer

March 28, 1981- Julia Stiles, actress

March 29, 1790- John Tyler, 10th U.S. President (1841-1845)

March 29, 1867- Cy Young, baseball pitcher

March 29, 1916- Eugene McCarthy, senator, presidential nominee

March 29, 1918- Pearl Bailey, singer, entertainer

March 29, 1918- Sam Walton, founded Wal-Mart

March 29, 1945- Walt Frazier, basketball player

March 29, 1955- Earl Campbell, football player

March 29, 1963- M. C. Hammer, rap singer

March 29, 1964- Elle MacPherson, actress, super model

March 29, 1968- Lucy Lawless, actress

March 29, 1976- Jennifer Capriati, tennis player



March 30, 1853 Vincent van Gogh, painter

March 30, -1929 Richard Dysart, actor

March 30, 1930- John Astin, actor

March 30, 1937- Warren Beatty, actor, director



March 30, 1945- Eric Clapton, musician, singer, songwriter

March 30, 1957- Paul Reiser, actor

March 30, 1962- M.C. Hammer, rapper

March 30, 1968- Celine Dion, singer

March 31, 1596- René Descartes, philosopher, mathematician

March 31, 1732- Franz Joseph Haydn, composer

March 31, 1811 - German chemist Robert Wilhelm Eberhard von Bunsen, invented the Bunsen Burner

March 31, 1878- Jack Johnson, is Afro-American boxer to win heavyweight crown

March 31, 1927- Cesar Chavez, labor leader

March 31, 1928- Gordie Howe, hockey player



March 31, 1929- Liz Claiborne, fashion designer

March 31, 1932- John Jakes, author

March 31, 1934- Shirley Jones, actress, singer

March 31, 1935- Herb Albert, musician

March 31, 1935- Richard Chamberlain, actor

March 31, 1943- Christopher Walken, actor

March 31, 1948 -Al Gore Jr., vice president , presidential candidate

March 31, 1948- Rhea Perlman, actress



What is the IDES OF MARCH?  
(Source: history.com)

44 B.C. - Julius Caesar is murdered



"Julius Caesar, the”dictator for life”of the Roman Empire, is murdered by his own senators at a meeting in a hall next to Pompey’s Theatre. The conspiracy against Caesar encompassed as many as sixty noblemen, including Caesar’s own protege, Marcus Brutus.

Caesar was scheduled to leave Rome to fight in a war on March 18 and had appointed loyal members of his army to rule the Empire in his absence. The Republican senators, already chafing at having to abide by Caesar’s decrees, were particularly angry about the prospect of taking orders from Caesar’s underlings. Cassius Longinus started the plot against the dictator, quickly getting his brother-in-law Marcus Brutus to join.



Caesar should have been well aware that many of the senators hated him, but he dismissed his security force not long before his assassination. Reportedly, Caesar was handed a warning note as he entered the senate meeting that day but did not read it. After he entered the hall, Caesar was surrounded by senators holding daggers. Servilius Casca struck the first blow, hitting Caesar in the neck and drawing blood. The other senators all joined in, stabbing him repeatedly about the head.



Marcus Brutus wounded Caesar in the groin and Caesar is said to have remarked in Greek, “You, too, my child?” In the aftermath of the assassination, Antony attempted to carry out Caesar’s legacy. However, Caesar’s will left Octavian in charge as his adopted son. Cassius and Brutus tried to rally a Republican army and Brutus even issued coins celebrating the assassination, known as the Ides of March. Octavian vowed revenge against the assassins, two years later Cassius and Brutus committed suicide after learning that Octavian’s forces had defeated theirs at the Battle of Philippa in Greece.

Antony took his armies east, where he hooked up with Caesar’s old paramour, Cleopatra. Octavian and Antony fought for many years until Octavian prevailed. In 30 B.C., Antony committed suicide. Octavian, later known as Augustus, ruled the Roman Empire for many more years."



Image Credits:  all images were found on Google images and Pinterest

Famous Birthdays:  holidayinsights.com

Ides of March - history.com