The true name of this saint was Jacobo.... We have first shortened Santo Jacobo into Santo Jac’o. We clipped it again into Sant’ Jaco, and by changing the J into I and the c into g, we get Sant-Iago. In household names we convert Iago into D’iago or Diago, which we soften into Diego.—Ambrosio de Morales, Coronica General de España, ix. 7 sect. 2 (1586).
Santons, a body of religionists, also called Abdals, who pretended to be inspired with the most enthusiastic raptures of divine love. They were regarded by the vulgar as saints. Olearius, Reisebeschreibung, i. 971 (1647).
Sapphi´ra, a female liar.—Acts v. 1.
She is called the village Sapphira.—Crabbe.
Sappho, Greek poetess of the sixth century B.C., called “The Tenth Muse.” Fragments of her verse remain which are very beautiful. She was the victim of unrequited love, and leaped to her death from the Leucadian Rock into the sea.
Sappho (The English), Mrs. Mary D. Robinson (1758-1800).
Sappho (The French), Mdlle. Scudéri (1607-1704).
Sappho (The Scotch), Catherine Cockburn (1679-1749).
Sappho of Toulouse, Clémence Isaure (2 syl.), who instituted, in 1490, Les Jeux Floraux. She is the authoress of a beautiful Ode to Spring (1463-1513).
Sapskull, a raw Yorkshire tike, son of Squire Sapskull, of Sapskull Hall. Sir Penurious Muckworm wishes him to marry his niece and ward, Arbella, but as Arbella loves Gaylove, a young barrister, the tike is played upon thus: Gaylove assumes to be Muckworm, and his lad, Slango, dresses up as a woman to pass for Arbella; and while Sapskull “marries” Slango, Gaylove, who assumes the dress and manners of the Yorkshire tike, marries Arbella. Of course, the trick is then discovered, and Sapskull returns to the home of his father, befooled but not married.—Carey, The Honest Yorkshireman (1736).