Jump over Rubikon (The die is cast)(meaning) - to commit a decisive act, to take an irrevocable step (Explanatory Dictionary, 1935-1940).

"The die is cast" in Latin - Alea iacta est (Alea akta est).

Rubicon- the river separating Ancient Rome and Gaul. The phrase to cross the Rubicon is associated with the following story:

The famous Roman commander Gaius Julius Caesar, having won a number of brilliant victories, was drawn into a civil war, where his opponent was Pompey, with a huge Roman army. Gaius Julius at that time was the governor of Gaul and his army was stationed in this province. According to the law, no one could enter the territory of the Roman state with an army. Accordingly, the very transition of Caesar with the army of the border of Gaul with Rome, which passed along Rubicon River(in Latin - "Red River"), was considered a state crime, for which the death penalty was established.

Upon learning of the persecution against Julius' supporters in Rome, Caesar decided to act decisively. On the night of January 10-11, 49 BC. Caesar with only one legion (XIII "Doubles" legion, Legio XIII Gemina lat.) Crossed the Rubicon. He violated this prohibition with the historic exclamation: "The die is cast!" (Alea iacta est - lat.). Caesar managed to defeat Pompey, conquer Rome and win the confidence of the Senate and the entire Roman people. After these events, Gaius Julius Caesar became the sole ruler of the Roman state. Many historians believe that it was Gaius Julius Caesar who laid a solid foundation for the power of the Roman Empire for the next 500 years.

Since " Cross the Rubicon”Means to make an important, dangerous and irrevocable decision, to commit an act that can no longer be canceled.

These events are described by Plutarch in 110 (Plutarch's Lives: Julius Caesar (c. A.d. 110)).

The expression is listed in the American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer, 1992 - "cross the Rubicon". It is stated that it has been in use in English since the 1600s.

Ancient Roman historian Suetonius Guy Tranquill(c. 75 - 160 AD) in his book "Lives of the Twelve Caesars" describes these events:

"And so, when the news arrived that the intervention of the tribunes had not been successful, and that they themselves had to leave Rome, Caesar immediately moved the cohorts forward; and in order not to arouse suspicion, he was present for the sake of popular shows, and discussed the plan of the gladiatorial school, which he was going to build, and arranged, as usual, a crowded dinner.But when the sun went down, he with a few companions, in a cart pulled by mules from a nearby mill, secretly set off. at dawn, finding a guide, on foot, along narrow paths, he finally came out on the right path. He overtook the cohort near the Rubicon River, the border of his province. Here he hesitated and, wondering what step he would dare, said, turning to his companions: "More it's not too late to return; but it is worth crossing this bridge, and weapons will decide everything. "

He was still hesitating when suddenly such a vision appeared to him. Suddenly, an unknown man of wondrous growth and beauty appeared nearby: he was sitting and playing the pipe. Not only shepherds came running to these sounds, but also many soldiers from their posts, among them were trumpeters. And now this man suddenly tore out a pipe from one of them, rushed into the river and, with a deafening sound of a battle signal, swam to the opposite bank. "Forward," Caesar exclaimed then, "forward, where the banners of the gods and the injustice of our opponents call us! The die is thrown."

So he transferred the troops; and then, leading to a general meeting of the exiled tribunes who had fled to him, he tearfully, tearing his clothes on his chest, began to beg the soldiers for loyalty. They even say that he promised everyone an equestrian state, but this is a misunderstanding. The fact is that, calling out to the soldiers, he often pointed to his left finger, assuring that he was ready to give even his ring to reward the defenders of his honor; and the distant rows, for which it was easier to see than to hear the speaker, took the imaginary signs for words, and hence the rumor began that he had promised them riders' rings and four hundred thousand sesterces.

His further actions, briefly and in order, were as follows. He entered Picenus, Umbria, Etruria; Lucius Domitius, illegally appointed his successor and occupying Corfinius, he forced to surrender and released; then along the coast of the Upper Sea, he moved to Brundisium, where the consuls and Pompey fled, in a hurry to cross the sea. After unsuccessful attempts to prevent them from sailing by any means, he turned to Rome. Turning here to the senators with a speech on the state of the state, he went against the strongest troops of Pompey, who were in Spain under the command of three legates: Mark Petreus, Lucius Afranius and Mark Varro; before leaving, he told his friends that now he was going to the army without a commander, and then he would return to the commander without an army. And although he was delayed both by the siege of Massilia, which closed the gates in his way, and by the extreme lack of food, he soon subjugated everything. "

Phrases with similar meaning:

Examples of

Stephen King

“Whoever has found it, takes it for himself. Mr Mercedes 2 (FINDERS KEEPERS), 2015, translated into Russian by V. Weber, 2015:

"When Pete slips his cell phone into his trousers pocket, a Latin phrase that he learned in ninth grade jumps out of his memory. It is intimidating in any language, but ideally suited to his current situation.

Alea iacta est.

Die is cast."

The Green Mile (1996), translated by Victor Weber, Dmitry Weber, Part 5, Ch. 1:

"We came to Rubicon, having crossed which, they could no longer turn back.

Only me this Rubicon passed it long ago. "

Catherine Ryan Hyde (born 1955)

"Don't let go" (2010, translated from English 2015) - about the decision to take the daughter away from the drug addict's mother:

"Rubicon crossed"

"Oh, how I would like to see the famous Khitrov market and these people who have passed "Rubicon of life"."

“Now I announced to my father that I was leaving for the rehearsal,” she began, coming up to me, “and he shouted that he was depriving me of my blessing, and even almost hit me. Imagine, I don’t know my role,” she said, looking into notebook. - I will certainly get lost. So, die is cast- she went on in great excitement. - Die is cast..."

League Press, (18:01) 09 January 2011

In 49 BC, Julius Caesar, returning from the conquered Gaul, approached the border river of Rome, the Rubicon, and, according to the law, had to dissolve the army, which he did not.

By ordering his troops to cross on January 10, 49 BC. NS. , that is, 2060 years ago, Rubicon, Caesar deliberately cut off his path to retreat, deciding to become the sole ruler of Rome.

The expression "to cross the Rubicon" has since become winged, meaning the point of no return.

It is known that Caesar at the time of his speech had the following forces: 5 thousand infantrymen (that is, the mentioned 13th Legion) and 300 horsemen. However, as usual, counting more on the surprise of actions and bravery of the soldiers than on their numbers, he ordered to call the rest of his troops from across the Alps, nevertheless did not wait for their arrival.

A small detachment of the bravest soldiers and centurions, armed only with daggers, he secretly dispatched to Arimin, the first major city of Italy lying on the way from Gaul, in order to seize it by surprise attack without noise and bloodshed. Caesar himself spent the day in full view of everyone, even was present at the exercises of the gladiators.

In the evening, he took a bath, and then dined with the guests. When it got dark, he, either complaining of indisposition, or simply asking him to wait, left the room and the guests. Taking with him a few, closest friends, he left for Arimin in a hired carriage, and at first deliberately (according to another version - getting lost) followed the wrong path and only at dawn caught up with the cohorts sent ahead by the Rubicon River.

This small and until then unremarkable river was considered, however, the border between Cisalpine Gaul and Italy itself. The crossing of this border with the troops meant, in fact, the beginning of a civil war. Therefore, all historians unanimously note Caesar's hesitation.

So, Plutarch says that Caesar understood the beginning of what disasters the transition would be and how the offspring would evaluate this step. Suetonius assures that Caesar, turning to his companions, said: "It is not too late to return, but it is worth crossing this bridge, and weapons will decide everything."
Finally, Appian ascribes to Caesar the following words: "If I refrain from going over, my friends, this will be the beginning of disaster for me, but if I go over, for all people."

Nevertheless, having uttered the supposedly historical phrase "The die is cast." Caesar nevertheless crossed the Rubicon with his headquarters. Plutarch even gives the following detail: the famous phrase was spoken in Greek.

By the way, if only she was said at all, then this is quite plausible, since the phrase is nothing more than a quote from Menander, whom Caesar knew and even loved. However, it came down to our time in Latin: Alea jacta est.

In addition, Plutarch and Suetonius mention all sorts of miraculous signs that accompany the transition and seem to justify this fatal step.
We can assume that with these words the bloodiest civil war in the history of Rome began.

Valery ELMANOV.

Related articles:

Didn't have as much fun as last year

This is eloquently evidenced by the criminal chronicle of the first days of the new year in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

Anniversary of the Pope's infallibility

On July 18, 1870, that is, 140 years ago, a special dogma about its infallibility was adopted.

The main lover of the planet

(on the 285th birthday) Casanova went down in history as a great lover. But in addition to this, he was also a great swindler, writer, expert in the occult sciences and a tireless traveler.

"Bears" against the TIGER

United Russia decided to find out the sources of funding for the opposition protest TIGER, which showed itself during the rallies in Primorye.

We are happy with the experiment.

The elections, which are taking place on Sunday in Russia, may be the most high-tech of all elections held so far.

Anti-crisis skating

In Primorye, where passions about the increase in duties on foreign cars have not yet subsided, several dozen local deputies and officials, most of them United Russia, went to a Japanese ski resort, where they were looking for a means of dealing with the crisis.

Property of the Republic

Police officers and the administration of the Vakhitovsky district of Kazan decided to check the safety of valuable exhibits and expensive antique relics.

Alea jacta est (alea of ​​the act eats) in translation means - the die is cast. So they say when the decision is irrevocable.
Latin expression attributed to Julius Caesar. In 49 BC, at the head of several cohorts, he crossed the Rubicon River, separating Caesalpine Gaul, where he was proconsul, from Italy, that is, he violated the law, according to which he had the right to lead troops only outside its borders. Caesar did this deliberately, since at that moment he was at enmity with the Roman authorities, which sought to prevent him from electing consuls. Caesar's crossing of the Rubicon meant the Civil War in Rome.

Cross the Rubicon

He caught up with his cohorts at the Rubicon River, which represented the border of his province. Here he paused for a while and, internally checking all the significance of the undertaking he had conceived, said, addressing those present: “We also have the possibility of returning; but we will cross this bridge, and everything will have to be solved with weapons. "
At this moment of hesitation, he had such a vision: suddenly there appeared someone unknown, of extraordinary height and beauty; sitting nearby, he played the flute. Not only shepherds came to listen to him, but also many soldiers from their posts, and among them there were trumpeters; snatching a pipe from one of them, the stranger rushed to the river and, deafeningly playing a military signal, went to the other bank. “Forward,” Caesar exclaimed then, “where the sign of the gods and the injustice of our adversaries are calling us! - And he added: "The die is cast.". (Guy Suetonius Tranquill, "Biography of the Twelve Caesars" )

The same Gaius Suetonius Tranquill claims that Caesar simply took advantage of the time of troubles in Rome to enter into an open struggle for the supreme power he dreamed of.

Cicero wrote that Caesar always had the words of Euripides on his lips
If you break the law, then for the sake of the kingdom
For the rest, you must honor him.

What happened next?

In the civil war unleashed, Caesar won, became a dictator, carried out a number of reforms in the political structure of Rome, in the economy, introduced a new calendar that received his name. He was killed by conspirators on March 15, 44 BC. NS.

"Die is cast" - about an irrevocable decision, about a step that does not allow retreat, return to the past.

In 49 BC. NS. Julius Caesar, commander of the Roman legions of the province of Cisalpine Gaul, decided to seize sole power and crossed the Rubicon River with his troops, which served as the natural border of the province. By this, he violated the law, according to which the proconsul had the right to lead an army only outside Italy, and began a war with the Roman Senate.

Suetonius, "Divine Julius", 32: Tunc Caesar, Eatur, inquit, quo deorum ostenta et inimicorum iniquitas vocat. Jacta alea esto "Forward," Caesar shouted then, "where the sign of the gods and the injustice of our adversaries are calling us. Let the lot be cast." ( The last phrase uttered by Caesar, as reported by Plutarch (Comparative Biographies, Pompey, LX), in Greek, is a quotation from Menander's comedy The Flutist. In a preserved excerpt from this comedy, one of the interlocutors tries to dissuade the other from marrying, but receives the answer: "The matter is decided. Let the lot be cast."- ed. )

Yes, Guillermo, jacta est alea, I am a Straussian, I, a pitiful poet, hide under the wings of the genius David Friedrich Strauss. ( F. Engels - V. Greber, 8.X 1839.)

Alea jacta est. I'm leaving tonight at half past six. The email I received yesterday hastened my decision. Unfortunately, I cannot shake hands with your spouse, as it is still forbidden to climb me. Warm greetings to him and your sister ... ( I.S.Turgenev - Terme Seegen, 14. (26.) VIII 1874.)

I was in Switzerland, I saw Phasie ( Fazy, Jean-Jacques (1790-1878) - Swiss publicist and politician.- ed. ), Schaller ( Schaller, Julian (1817-1871) - Swiss politician.- ed. ) and the other Caesars of Switzerland - everything is going well. But alea jacta est, that is, it was not, there is nothing to do, we had to descend into the dirty arena of journalism. Alea jacta est! The next day I entered, if not de jure, then de facto, to serve in the governor's office. ( I. A. Goncharov, Memoirs.)

But in any case, whether I remain defeated or victorious, that very evening I will take my bag, my beggarly bag, leave all my belongings, all your gifts, all pensions and promises of future blessings and go on foot to end my life with the merchant as a tutor , or die of hunger somewhere, under the fence. I said. Alea jacta est! ( F. M. Dostoevsky, Demons.)

So do you know what? Really, let's get out of here together! - Let's go! Right from the inn, let's go to the shore, and as soon as the steamer moors - fuck! He thought for a minute, but then he just waved his hand. - No, brother, alea jacta est! Let it happen! ( ME Saltykov-Shchedrin, In an environment of moderation and accuracy.)

Cross the Rubicon

The history of the birth of this phrase is associated with the name of the famous Roman commander Julius Caesar (100-44 BC). Returning from the conquered Gaul, he moved in 49 BC. NS. together with his legions, the Rubicon, the frontier river of Ancient Rome. According to the law, he had no right "to do this, but had to dissolve his army at the borders of the empire. But Caesar deliberately violated the law, thereby cutting off his path to retreat. He made an irrevocable decision - to enter Rome with the legions and become its sole ruler. And he said, according to the reports of the Roman historian Suetonius ("The Life of the Twelve Caesars" - Divine Julius), the famous words: Aleajacta est [alea yakta est | - the lot is cast.

According to Plutarch ("Comparative Biographies" - Caesar), the future emperor pronounced these words in Greek, as a quote from the comedy of the ancient Greek playwright Menander (c. 342-292 BC), which sounds like this: "Let the lot be cast." ... But traditionally the phrase is quoted in Latin.

Rome surrendered to the conqueror of the Gauls without a fight. A little later, Caesar finally asserted his power, defeating the army of Pompey near the city of Pharsalus, hastily recruited by him on the instructions of the Senate.

Accordingly, “to cross the Rubicon”, “to cast lots” - to make a firm, irrevocable decision. An analogue of the phrases “burn all bridges behind you” and burn ships.