Commentary Par XXIX 31-32

On these lines, see Kay (Kay.2003.1), p. 45: 'Order and structure were created together in the substances [= angels].'

Singleton (DDP Singleton.Par.XXIX.8-9) makes the following observation: 'For a reader unfamiliar with the standard procedure of a summa of theology, it should perhaps be pointed out that the poem is proceeding thematically in the opposite direction to that of a summa: the journey moves ever upwards, toward God, and here comes to a treatise on angels, in these two cantos so near the end, whereas a summa begins with God, in its first section of questions, and then passes to the creation or procession of creatures from God (cf. Summa theol. I of Thomas Aquinas as it passes from question 43 to question 44), beginning with the highest creatures, which are the angels.'