Commentary Par XII 118-120

The obvious Scriptural allusion (to Matthew 13:24-30, the parable of the wheat and the tares) somehow seems to have escaped the earliest commentators.  It appears first in Landino (DDP Landino.Par.XII.118-120) and then is repeated in almost all subsequent comments.  The reference of the tercet is a cause of some debate.  See Manselli, 'francescanesimo' (ED.1971.3), pp. 15-16; his view is that the word 'loglio' (tares) does not refer to the Spiritual Franciscans, as some believe, but to all corrupt members of the Order, whatever their leaning in the controversy between Spirituals and Conventuals.