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the die is cast

The future is determined; there are no more options; events will proceed in an irreversible manner.

Etymology:

  • From games of chance in which the outcome is determined by the throwing of dice or a single die. Popularized by its use by Suetonius when Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon to begin a civil war in the Roman Republic, indicating the commission of an irreversible act, whence also cross the Rubicon.
  • The form “the die is cast” is from the Latin iacta ālea est, a grammatically incorrect translation by Suetonius, 121 CE, of the Ancient Greek phrase of Menander ἀνερρίφθω κύβος, which Caesar quoted in Greek. The Greek translates rather as “let the die be cast!”, or “let the game be ventured!”.
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Submitted on September 01, 2009

Translation

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ويلقي يموت

Die Würfel sind gefallen

η μήτρα χυτεύεται

la suerte está echada

les dés sont jetés

il dado è lanciato

המוות יצוקה

o dado é lançado

Жребий брошен

tärningen är kastad

ڈائی ڈالا جاتا ہے

死了

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    "the die is cast." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Dec. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/the-die-is-cast_7409>.

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