Commentary Purg XIII 109-111

Punning on her name, she now identifies herself as Sapia if not savia (sapient) and speaks of her envious nature (see C.Purg.XIII.8-9).

      For the history of the gradually more certain identification of Sapia, see Giorgio Varanini, 'Sapia' (ED.1976.5, p. 26).  Most now accept the work of nineteenth-century students of the problem, which demonstrated that she, born ca. 1210, was a noblewoman of Siena, an aunt of Provenzan Salvani ([Purg XI 121-142]), and wife of one Ghinibaldo Saracini.  After the battle of Colle Val d'Elsa in 1269 and before her death (sometime between 1275 and 1289) she gave much of her wealth to a hospital (S. Maria dei Pellegrini) that she and her husband (who had died before the great battle) had founded in 1265 in Siena.