March 15 is the Ides of March, and that means it’s a day to think about loyalty. The Ides of March is the date that Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 B.C. His confidant Marcus Junius Brutus was the one to lead the plan for Caesar’s assassination. Brutus’ betrayal has made the day become associated with loyalty.

The dramatic story inspired Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar,” which is where this famous quote comes from: “Beware the Ides of March.” However, there are plenty of less ominous quotes to celebrate the day. Although Caesar was betrayed on the Ides of March, it can be a day to value those capable of true support and devotion. Check out some of our favorite quotes about loyalty:

  • “If you will not die for us, you cannot ask us to die for you.” - Jacqueline Carey, “Kushiel's Dart”
  • “We have to recognize that there cannot be relationships unless there is commitment, unless there is loyalty, unless there is love, patience, persistence.” – Cornel West, “Breaking Bread”
  • “‘[Dumbledore] will only be gone from the school when none here are loyal to him,' said Harry, smiling in spite of himself.” – J.K. Rowling, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"
  • “Total loyalty is possible only when fidelity is emptied of all concrete content, from which changes of mind might naturally arise.” – Hannah Arendt, “The Origins of Totalitarianism”
  • “You don't earn loyalty in a day. You earn loyalty day-by-day.” – Jeffrey H. Gitomer, “Customer Satisfaction Is Worthless”
  • “The true measure of a best friend is where they are when you 'make' the biggest decision of your life, not where they were during the decision process.” – Shannon L. Alder
  • “I don't like to give up on people when they need someone not to give up on them.” — Carroll Bryant
  • “Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice.” – Woodrow T. Wilson
  • “Loyalty publicly results in leverage privately.” – Andy Stanley
  • “My father wrote: 'Always question where your loyalties lie. The people you trust will expect it, your greatest enemies will desire it, and those you treasure the most, will, without fail, abuse it.'” – said by Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp), written by Wendy Calhoun and Nikki Toscano, “Revenge”
  • “Is loyalty still a commendable quality when it is misdirected?” – Cassandra Clare, “Clockwork Princess”
  • “Loyalty was a great thing, but no lieutenants should be forced to choose between their leader and a circus with elephants.” – Neil Gaiman, “Good Omens”

For more loyalty quotes, check out Notable Quotes and Good Reads.

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