Ālea iacta est ("The die is cast") is a variation of a Latin phrase (iacta alea est[ˈjaktaˈaːlɛ.aˈɛs̺t]) attributed by Suetonius to Julius Caesar on 10January 49 BCE, as he led his army across the Rubicon river in Northern Italy. With this step, he entered Italy at the head of his army in defiance of the Senate and began his long civil war against Pompey and the Optimates. The phrase, either in the original Latin or in translation, is used in many languages to indicate that events have passed a point of no return. It is now most commonly cited with the word order changed ("Alea iacta est") rather than in the original phrasing. The same event inspired another idiom with the same meaning, "crossing the Rubicon".
Caesar was said to have borrowed the phrase from Menander, the famous Greek writer of comedy, whom he appreciated more than the Roman playwright Terence.[1][2] The phrase appears in Ἀρρηφόρος (transliterated as Arrephoros, or possibly, The Flute-Girl), as quoted in Deipnosophistae, paragraph 8.[3]Plutarch reports that these words were said in Greek:
The motto of the Hall family from Shackerstone reads jacta est alea.
Lewis and Short,[7] citing Casaubon and Ruhnk, suggest that the text of Suetonius should read iacta alea esto (reading the third-personsingular future imperativeesto instead of the present one est), which they translate as "Let the die be cast!", or "Let the game be ventured!". This matches Plutarch's use of third-person singular perfectmiddle/passive imperative of the verb ἀναρρίπτω,[8] i.e. ἀνερρίφθω κύβος (anerríphthō kýbos, pronounced[anerːípʰtʰɔːkýbos]).
In Latin alea refers to a game with dice and, more generally, a game of hazard or chance. Dice were common in Roman times and were usually cast three at a time. There were two kinds. The six-sided dice were known in Latin as tesserae and the four-sided ones (rounded at each end) were known as tali.[9] In Greek a die was κύβοςkybos.[10]
^Grillo, Luca; Krebs, Christopher B., eds. (2018). The Cambridge Companion to the Writings of Julius Caesar. Cambridge University Press. pp. 208–209.
^Magnelli, Enrico, Opinioni antiche sullo stile di Menandro, in Casanova Angelo (ed.), Menandro e l’evoluzione della commedia greca: atti del convegno internazionale di studi in memoria di Adelmo Barigazzi, Firenze 2014, pp. 147-148.
Look up the die is cast in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Divus Iulius, paragraph 32 by Suetonius, where the quote is found.
Reference to Augustus playing Alea
January 01, 1970
alea, iacta, alea, jacta, redirects, here, warcry, album, alea, jacta, album, cast, redirects, here, star, trek, episode, cast, star, trek, deep, space, nine, Ālea, iacta, cast, variation, latin, phrase, iacta, alea, ˈjakta, ˈaːlɛ, ˈɛs, attributed, suetonius, . Alea Jacta Est redirects here For the WarCry album see Alea Jacta Est album The die is cast redirects here For the Star Trek episode see The Die Is Cast Star Trek Deep Space Nine Alea iacta est The die is cast is a variation of a Latin phrase iacta alea est ˈjakta ˈaːlɛ a ˈɛs t attributed by Suetonius to Julius Caesar on 10 January 49 BCE as he led his army across the Rubicon river in Northern Italy With this step he entered Italy at the head of his army in defiance of the Senate and began his long civil war against Pompey and the Optimates The phrase either in the original Latin or in translation is used in many languages to indicate that events have passed a point of no return It is now most commonly cited with the word order changed Alea iacta est rather than in the original phrasing The same event inspired another idiom with the same meaning crossing the Rubicon A Roman die made from lead Contents 1 Meaning and forms 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksMeaning and forms editCaesar was said to have borrowed the phrase from Menander the famous Greek writer of comedy whom he appreciated more than the Roman playwright Terence 1 2 The phrase appears in Ἀrrhforos transliterated as Arrephoros or possibly The Flute Girl as quoted in Deipnosophistae paragraph 8 3 Plutarch reports that these words were said in Greek nbsp The motto of the Hall family from Shackerstone reads jacta est alea Ἑllhnistὶ prὸs toὺs parontas ἐkbohsas Ἀnerrif8w kybos anerriphthō kybos diebibaze tὸn straton 4 He Caesar declared in Greek with loud voice to those who were present Let a die be cast and led the army across Plutarch Life of Pompey 60 2 9 5 Suetonius a contemporary of Plutarch writing in Latin reports a similar phrase Caesar iacta alea est inquit 6 Caesar said The die has been cast Suetonius Vita Divi Iuli The Life of the Deified Julius 121 AD paragraph 32 Lewis and Short 7 citing Casaubon and Ruhnk suggest that the text of Suetonius should read iacta alea esto reading the third person singular future imperative esto instead of the present one est which they translate as Let the die be cast or Let the game be ventured This matches Plutarch s use of third person singular perfect middle passive imperative of the verb ἀnarriptw 8 i e ἀnerrif8w kybos anerriphthō kybos pronounced anerːipʰtʰɔː kybos In Latin alea refers to a game with dice and more generally a game of hazard or chance Dice were common in Roman times and were usually cast three at a time There were two kinds The six sided dice were known in Latin as tesserae and the four sided ones rounded at each end were known as tali 9 In Greek a die was kybos kybos 10 See also edit nbsp Ancient Rome portal Aleatoricism List of Latin phrasesReferences edit Grillo Luca Krebs Christopher B eds 2018 The Cambridge Companion to the Writings of Julius Caesar Cambridge University Press pp 208 209 Magnelli Enrico Opinioni antiche sullo stile di Menandro in Casanova Angelo ed Menandro e l evoluzione della commedia greca atti del convegno internazionale di studi in memoria di Adelmo Barigazzi Firenze 2014 pp 147 148 Book 13 Perseus Digital Library Plut Pomp 60 2 See also Plutarch s Life of Caesar 32 8 4 and Sayings of Kings amp Emperors 206c Perseus Digital Library Suet Jul 32 alea Charlton T Lewis and Charles Short A Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project ἀnarriptw Liddell Henry George Scott Robert A Greek English Lexicon at the Perseus Project alea Charlton T Lewis and Charles Short A Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project kybos External links edit nbsp Look up the die is cast in Wiktionary the free dictionary Divus Iulius paragraph 32 by Suetonius where the quote is found Reference to Augustus playing Alea Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alea iacta est amp oldid 1189857771, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
