J. Albert Harrill: Accusing Philosophy of Causing Headaches: Tertullian’s Use of a Comedic Topos (Praesc. 16.2)

Tertullian offers a curious protest in his prescription against the heretics:  “Besides,” he complains, “arguments over Scripture achieve nothing but an upset stomach or a headache” (praescr. 16.2).  Although scholars assume the protest to be Tertullian’s own construction, epitomizing his general anti-intellectualism, I argue that the reference is an overlooked classical topos, which was familiar to ancient audiences from the comic stage: Aristophanes (Clouds 504); Plato (Rep. 3, 408d-e).  According to the topos, excessive mental activity causes disease in the body.  Tertullian’s report thus advances his overall attempt to caricature the case of his opponents as diseased superstitio (“excessive devotion”).