Milton refers to "my adventrous song." He clearly takes credit for authorship although he is asking for assistance. Homer asks the Muse to sing through him, and "to begin when the two ( Achilles and Agemennon) broke and clashed..." Homer is asking the Muse to sing through him. Homer presents himself as a vessel; Milton presents himself as a poet/creator seeking "aid to my adventrous song."

"Satan awakens all his Legions:" like the morning after a party and the leader is the first to wake up and see the damage done and remember the unforgivable actions taken the night before, he realizes they need to get up and deal with their hangovers and injuries and face the music and start their process of recovery. He gets them in motion, and the story begins.