Commentary Inf III 40-42

To what does the adjective rei ('evil') refer? The neutral angels (v. 38) are the antecedent of the pronoun li in vv. 40 and 41. It seems clear that this is also true with respect to the adjective in v. 42, and thus our translation, 'lest on their account the evil angels gloat.' That the adjective is to be treated as an adjectival noun for 'the wicked,' i.e., the damned in general, is an idea that has only entered commentaries in our own century. It has not won over the more convincing discussants.