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All Site ContentJulius CaesarAct 1Scene 2
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Clothing Rules
Context and Language Videos
Act 1,
Scene 2
Lines 234-248

An explanation of the clothing rules referenced in the phrase "sweaty nightcaps" in Act 1, Scene 2 of myShakespeare's Julius Caesar. 

myShakespeare | Julius Caesar 1.2 Historical Reference: Clothing Rules

Casca

I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it.  It was
mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer
him a crown —yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one
of these coronets  — and, as I told you, he put it by once;
but for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had
it. Then he offered it to him again; then he put it by again;
but, to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers
off it. And then he offered it the third time; he put it the
third time by; and still as he refused it, the rabblement
hooted and clapped their chapped hands and threw up
their sweaty nightcaps, and uttered such a deal of stink-
ing breath because Caesar refused the crown that it had
almost choked Caesar, for he swooned and fell down at it.
And for mine own part, I durst not laugh, for fear of
opening my lips and receiving the bad air.
Video Transcript: 

SERVILIA: Casca describes the plebeians attending the Lupercal ceremony as wearing “sweaty nightcaps.” I think this is another anachronism—something that would make sense to Shakespeare’s audience, but wouldn’t really apply to ancient Rome.

 

RALPH: That’s right, Servilia. In 16th-century England, influential wool merchants persuaded Parliament to pass a law requiring the wearing of fancy wool hats in public on religious holidays.

 

SERVILIA: These hats were referred to as night caps since wool clothing was often worn to bed at night to keep warm.

 

RALPH: So Shakespeare has his audience picturing a crowd of plebeians in the Forum sweating profusely under their woolen hats on a sunny afternoon in this hot Mediterranean city, but it’s not something they actually would have done in ancient Rome.

 

SERVILIA: Casca certainly doesn’t paint a very favorable picture of these plebeians. Not only are they wearing sweaty nightcaps, but their breath is so bad it causes Caesar to pass out.

 

RALPH: And that little detail may actually have historical origins.  There are accounts of Caesar passing out at a public festival, but not because of the plebeians’ horrible breath. Caesar had a health problem that caused him to occasionally faint and have convulsions. It was quite likely epilepsy.