Commentary Inf XXI 38

The Elders of Lucca were the city's magistrates, similar in their governance to the Priors of Florence. Zita was a young servant woman of the city, dead in the 1270's, to whom were reputed great kindness and numerous miracles. While she was not canonized until 1690, she was reputed a saint shortly after her death, and her cult flourished around her tomb in the church of San Frediano in Lucca.

As for the identity of this nameless Lucchese, Guido da Pisa seems to have been the first commentator to say that he was Martino Bottario (or Bottai). He seems to have shared political (and thus grafting) power with Bonturo Dati, mentioned in v. 41 ([Inf XXI 41]). There is another fact about him that is striking: he apparently died, according to Guido (DDP Guido.Inf.XXI.38), on 26 March 1300, that is, at least in certain calculations, on the very day that is now unfolding in Dante's poem. Francesco da Buti confirms his name and also registers the date of his death, now given as the Friday night before Holy Saturday (but only referring to the month of March, strangely, since Good Friday fell on 9 April in 1300). Later commentators, if they refer to this material, all have the death date as occurring on 9 April, even though this is not authorized by the first commentators to claim that Martino is the Lucchese here present. For particulars see Pietro Mazzamuto (ED.1970.1, pp. 313-14).