Commentary Par XIII 97-102

Thomas now contrasts practical kingly wisdom with typical Scholastic speculations, drawn from the following four fields: speculative theology (How many are the angels?), dialectic (Will a mixture of a necessary and a contingent premise ever yield a necessary conclusion?), natural science (Must we grant that motion had a beginning?), and geometry (Can a triangle be constructed in a semi-circle in such a way that it not contain a right angle?).  (All four answers are negative, beginning with the fact that, according to Dante, the angels are not numerable.)  In Dante's view, Solomon's practical wisdom trumps all such formal intelligence.  However, for a far different appraisal of Solomon's kingly wisdom, see Carroll (DDP Carroll.Par.XIII.88-111): 'The real difficulty is that, history being the witness, all Solomon's wisdom did not make him "sufficient as a king."  The outward brilliance of his reign was but a veil which hid for the moment the slow sapping of his people's strength and character through his luxury and licentiousness, his tyrannies, exactions, and idolatries.  He sowed the wind, and his son reaped the whirlwind when the down-trodden people rent the greater part of the kingdom out of his hand.  Whatever Dante may say, Solomon as a king was perhaps the wisest fool who ever lived.  In saying this, I am quite aware that I may be incurring the censure on hasty judgments with which Canto XIII closes.'

On Solomon's song as leading to truthful (and not seductive, deceiving) love, see Chiarenza (Chia.2000.1).