Językowy obraz mężczyzny na podstawie dolegliwości opisanych w renesansowym Zielniku Szymona Syreńskiego

The article attempts to reconstruct the linguistic image of a man based on the ailments described in Szymon Syreński’s Herbarium published in 1613. Thirty-five prescriptions mentioning men were extracted from the work, primarily concerning ailments of the reproductive system. The analysis proves that men were typically much older than their wives. Furthermore , Herbarium touches on the subject of male fertility, which was determined by the amount of semen. It is significant that Syreński did not write about male infertility but only indicated ways to increase fertility. On the other hand, the author pointed out that some problems, such as excessive sexual activity, were not dependent on gender, despite societal beliefs to the contrary. The same applied to venereal diseases. Syreński’s work also did not repeat the belief that only women were to blame for miscarriages or the birth of a disabled child.