544. It has been believed hitherto in the world that there is one devil who presides over the hells; that he was created an angel of light; but having become rebellious he was cast down with his crew into hell. This belief has prevailed because the Devil and Satan, and also Lucifer, are mentioned by name in the Word, and the Word in those places has been understood according to the sense of the letter. But by "the devil" and "Satan" there hell is meant, "devil" meaning the hell that is behind, where dwell the worst, who are called evil genii; and "Satan" the hell that is in front, where dwell the less wicked, who are called evil spirits; and "Lucifer" those who belong to Babel, or Babylon, who reach out their powers even into heaven. That there is no one devil to whom the hells are subject is evident also from this, that all who are in the hells, like all who are in the heavens, are from the human race (see n. 311-317); and that those who have gone there from the beginning of creation to this time amount to myriads of myriads, and every one of them is a devil of such a nature as was his opposition to the Divine while he lived in the world (see above, n. 311, 312).