Commentary Par XXVIII 97-129

Beatrice here details the order of the angelic hierarchy, an order at variance from the one Dante had presented in Convivio (Conv.II.v.7-11).  For the source of that celestial plan, see C.Par.XXVIII.130-135 (and see the discussion in Pasquazi [Pasq.1972.1], pp. 375-78).

While he substantially alters his ordering of the angelic hierarchy from his presentation in Convivio, Dante remains firmly in disagreement with St. Thomas about a crucial detail, as Scott (Scot.2004.2), p. 109, takes care to point out.  In the Summa contra Gentiles (III.lxxx.11), Thomas said that the angelic order of the Virtues was alone responsible for the movement of all the heavenly spheres, while Dante, first in Convivio (Conv.II.v.6) and then here, carefully associates a particular order of angels with a particular sphere, and goes on to say that the various angelic orders are the causes of the movements of the corresponding heavenly spheres (Conv.II.v.13; [Par XXVIII 127-129]).