Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/810

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BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY
SIBILLA, Wife of Robert, Duke of Normandy, eldest Son of William the Conqueror; a Prince of a generous and noble Spirit, who was tenderly beloved by his Friends.

Having beep wounded by a poisoned arrow, the physicians declared nothing could save him, but the venom's being sucked from his wound by some one, whose life must fall a sacrifice. Robert disdained to save his own by hazarding that of another; but Sibilla did this in his sleep, and died to save her husband.

Rivalité de la Fr. & de l'Ang.


SIGEA (ALOYSIA), a Native of Toledo, of French extraction,

Besides a profound knowledge in philosophy, had learned the Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, and Syriac tongues, and written a letter in each to Pope Paul III. She was afterwards sent for to Portugal, to be companion to the Infanta, where she composed many works, and died young 1560.



SIRANI (ELIZABETH), a most excellent Painter, born in Bologna, 1638, the Daughter of Gio. Andria, a Painter;

Who, against her will, discovering the genius of his daughter, taught her design. So high was her reputation, that, in competition with her father, and many other renowned artists, she painted, in the Certosa of Bologna, the Baptism of Jesus Christ, in a picture of thirty hands high, in which the expression was so grand and effective, that she surpassed

her