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The Devil demonstrates a habit of fleeing arguments which turn against him. Inaddition to the above instances in his dialogues with Cain, he does this in dialoguewith Adah. While she is initially overawed by him, and says, “I cannot answer thisimmortal thing” (1.1.406), she learns to do so, and she repeatedly questions hisclaims. Eventually, Lucifer asserts that it is the commensurability of his power andGod’s which allows him to be there:LUCIFER:ADAH:I do divideHis, and possess a kingdom which is notHis. If I were not that which I have said,Could I stand here? His angels are withinYour vision.So they were when the fair serpentSpoke with our mother first. (1.1.552-7).Lucifer has no reply to this riposte, and, instead, turns and urges Cain again to followhim, promising the knowledge which the human seeks. This is enough to cause Cainto follow him, but he starts to lose his hold on Cain when the mortal comes tounderstand that the claimed sympathy does not exist.The dichotomy of spirit and dust established in his dialogue with Cain removes someof the commonality between the Devil and the mortal, but other actions remove yetmore. Describing beauty as an illusion of distance (2.2.252-4), and repeatedlydenouncing any disagreement with this claim as “delusion” (2.2.252, 272), Luciferdismisses Cain’s feelings for Adah. When the human replies that Lucifer does notunderstand because he is not her brother, the fallen angel, apparently stung in hispride, retorts, “Mortal! /My brotherhood’s with those who have no children” (2.2.273-4). After the mortal points out the obvious logical consequence, “Then thou cansthave no fellowship with us” (2.2.275), Lucifer’s only response is the weak,unsupported claim that “It may be that thine own shall be for me” (2.2.276). Luciferlater continues his attack upon the value of Cain’s affection for Adah, saying, “I pitythee who lovest what must perish”, and the mortal responds, “And I thee who lov’stnothing” (2.2.337, 338). At this point, the Devil steers the conversation away from a308