Commentary Par XVI 16-18

The poet again contorts the order of events for his narrative purposes; the words that the protagonist speaks precede, naturally, Beatrice's reaction to them ([Par XVI 13-15]).  Indeed, we may realize that the preceding terzina ([Par XVI 10-12]) also reflects what he has said just now.

These three parallel uses of the honorific voi for Cacciaguida, emotive anaphora (see Francesca's Amor... Amor... Amor in [Inf V 100-106]), offer an outpouring of ancestral affection, but more than tinged with vainglory, the sin we saw corrected on the terrace of Pride in Purgatory.

This program (of honorific address uttered by the protagonist) began in Inferno X, with Farinata and Cavalcante.  It had one more appearance in the first cantica, with Brunetto Latini.  In Purgatorio, Currado Malaspina, Pope Adrian V, Guinizzelli, and Beatrice all received the respectful voi in salutation.  In this concluding canticle, Beatrice receives it three times ([Par IV 122-134]), and Cacciaguida also three times, all in this tercet, in a final 'explosion' that lays it to rest.  (See C.Inf.X.49-51 and C.Purg.XIX.131; also C.Par.XXXI.79-90.)