the rubicon
Line of commitment
The Rubicon is a river in northern Italy that Julius Caesar crossed with his army in 49 BCE, an act of war against Rome that could not be undone.
To cross the Rubicon is to take an irrevocable step, passing a point of no return: When she submitted her resignation, she knew she had crossed the Rubicon.
- point of no returnThreshold beyond which reversal impossible
- PompeyFirst Triumvirate member
- decisive momentPivotal juncture determining outcome
- fateful decisionChoice with major consequences
- CaesarRoman imperial title
Roman Republic · ancient Rome · military campaign · Senate · Brutus · crossing the line · irreversibility · bold move · Augustus · commitment · resolution · Julius Caesar · Civil War · boldness · Gaul · turning point · Triumvirate · leap of faith
the rubicontrial run
Preliminary test attempt
test case · dry run · test drive · pilot program · soft launch
the rubiconhedging one's bets
Reducing exposure to loss
keeping options open · fence-sitting · indecision · hesitation · half-measure