Commentary Par XXIX 22-24

From the fourteenth century onward, commentators (e.g., the author of the notes to the Commedia found in the Codice Cassinese [DDP Cassinese.Par.XXIX.22]) have entered into the question of what exactly Dante envisioned when he thought of 'pure matter.'  The author of that early commentary resorts to Plato's term ylem ['hyle'], for primordial matter without form, the 'stuff' of the four elements to which God would give shape in creating the physical world. See O'Keeffe (Okee.1924.1), pp. 56-57, for why this is not the same as the 'prime matter' of Averroës. And, for a recent discussion in English, taking issue with Nardi's various pronouncements that would make Dante less orthodox than even he probably wanted to be perceived, see Moevs (Moev.2005.1), pp. 40-45.  For instance, Moevs believes that Dante's ideas about materia puretta accord with Thomas's views.

For the three entities 'shot' by this 'three-stringed bow,' see C.Par.XXIX.31-36.