Commentary Par VII 139-144

For a paraphrase of the first tercet, see Tozer (DDP Tozer.Par.VII.139-141): 'From speaking of things without life Beatrice passes to those which possess the sensitive or the vegetative life without the rational soul.  These also are not incorruptible, because their life is produced mediately by the influence of the stars, acting on those elements of their nature (i.e., of the matter of which they are composed) which are capable of being affected by them.  "The brightness and the motion of the holy lights (the stars) draws forth the life of brutes and plants from the combination of elements (complession) in them, which is endued with power (potenziata) thereto," i.e., to be so affected.  Complession in its technical use means "a combination of elements," e.g., of humours of the body, or properties of matter.'  And see Moevs (Moev.2005.1), p. 125, on this passage: 'The souls of all plants and animals are "drawn from" varying compounds of the sublunar elements (complession potenzïata) by the influence of the stars, but human life (the human intelligence or rational soul) "breathes directly" from the "supreme beneficence," from Intellect-Being itself.  That is why the human mind or soul is always in love with, and never ceases to seek union with, the ground of its being, of all being.'