Cave coitum! Antonio Gazio’s Health Advice Addressed to Sigismund Thurzó, the Bishop
of Várad.
This paper examines the health advice titled De tuenda et proroganda viridi ac florida
iuventa, written by Antonio Gazio in 1508. The manuscript was addressed to Sigismund
Thurzó, the Bishop of Várad. The codex, which has likely been lost over the past century,
aimed to preserve the vitality and youthful vigour of the 43-year-old bishop. Gazio
devoted the Chapter 20 to the nocuous health effects of baths and sexual activity.
It is possible that the bishop valued this chapter less, or perhaps did not even understand
it, since – according to Gazio’s experience – it mostly affects married men with especially
beautiful women. This paper, so that not only Sigismund Thurzó may know the secret,
now summarizes for everyone’s edification what Gazio considered worth knowing about
the health effects of mainly harmful sexual activity. To analyze the text, we also
compare it with eight chapters from Gazio’s principal work, Corona florida, which
addresses this topic in greater detail.
