То Cross the Rubicon - Перейти Рубикон
То cross the Rubicon means to take a final, irrevocable step which may have dangerous consequences.
It arises from the phrase said to have been used by
Julius Caesar, a famous Roman general, statesm an and
writer of the 1st century В. C.
The Rubicon was a small stream in northern Kaly
which separated Cisalpine Gaul, the province of which
Caesar was the governor, from Italy proper. His political rivals at Rome had passed a law ordering him to
disband his army. Caesar marched to the river and
stood at the bank undecided whether to cross it and
thereby precipitate civil war. Then, drawing his sword
and exclaiming, “The die is cast” he dashed across the
river and was followed by his whole army. Since then
the expression has become a proverb. When anyone has
actually begun a hazardous enterprise from which he
cannot draw back, they say, “He has crossed the Rubicon.”
Having crossed the Rubicon, Caesar started the civil
war against the Roman Senate; six months later he
made himself m aster of the whole of Italy.
During her m other’s breathless outbreak at
Stephen Lumley standing courteous and surprised
before her, she had crossed her Rubicon. And now
with flaring words she burnt her boats.
R. Macaulay, dan gerou s A ges
The young man now appeared to have crossed,
as it were, some Rubicon is his mind and was
speaking more fluently.
R. Warner, The Professor
“ Let’s look at Poppet’s pictures and forget the
war. Now that,” he said, pausing before the Aphrodite, “that I consider good. The moustache... it
shows you have crossed one of the artistic rubicons and feel strong enough to be facetious.”
E. Waugh, Put out More Flags
1. Выражение перейти Рубикон употребляется в значении: сделать решительный шаг. 2. Выражение заимствовано из рассказов Плутарха и других древних писателей о переходе Юлия Цезаря через Рубикон. 3. Маленькая речка Рубикон служила границей между Италией и Цизальпинской Галлией. 4. Получив в управление Цизальпинскую Галлию, Юлий Ц езарь по собственной инициативе и против воли Сената завоевал также всю Трансальпийскую Галлию. 5. У Цезаря было около пяти тысяч солдат. 6. Получив распоряжение Сената распустить легионы и явиться в Рим, Цезарь после некоторого колебания не только не подчинился приказу, но перешел Рубикон и вступил в открытый конфликт с Сенатом. 7. Цезарь решил з а хватить Сенат врасплох, надеясь обеспечить себе этим победу. 8. Ночью, тайно Цезарь со своим войском пересек Рубикон. 9. Он захватил ключевые позиции и разгромил армию Сената. 10. В результате победы Цезарь стал диктатором Рима.