Die is Cast

[Thomas J Dean]

Frank,
        Thanks much for the clarification.  I thought I had remembered
this from highschool Latin days, but when a friend challenged my
interpretation by citing the example of die-casting in a foundry, I
weakened.  Now armed with your reinforcement, I shall cross the Delaware
(he is in NJ, I in PA)!
        Tom

On Sun, 28 May 2000 Abatefr at cs.com wrote:
> This does originate with Julius Caesar, the Latin being "Alea iacta est".
> When JC crossed the River Rubicon in northern Italy with his army, violating
> a restriction placed on Roman generals, he said the phrase, meaning "There's
> no going back", that he had taken the risk of provoking civil war by his
> violation of the law.
>
> I don't have access to sources now to give a date (about 48 BC) and cite, but
> perhaps someone else?
>
> Frank Abate
>