[Iargwath]

Hmm...i always thought that long before the Elves awoke, Melkor was already creating evil deeds. He threw down the Lamps of the Valar (this occured before the creation of the Elves), and destroyed the place in which they resided. After the Valar moved to Valinor, they created war on Melkor for they feared he would create more damage with the coming of the Elves. They imprisioned Melkor for 3 ages. By the time he was released the Elves already resided in Valinor.
But Melkor didnt stop his evil deeds. He slayed Finwe (the first high king of the Noldor) and entrusted the Silmarils. Furthermore he destroyed the Two Tress of Valinor. All these deeds were surely done as to serve a purpose. Melkor created these evil deeds since he wanted to bend things to his own will. Stealing the Silmarils (the great jewels which locked the light of the great trees,Laurelin and Telperion) and destroying the Two Tress of Valinor (Telperion and Laurelin) were just two of the deeds in which Melkor undertook to destroy all that the Valar had made. These deeds were what Melkor was hoping to achieve. To take what was whole dear to the Valar and the Children of Illuvatar. And to destroy all that was good in Arda.
So this explains that Melkor did indeed act when he had the chance. He acted straight away in my mind. Maybe not destroying all of the Elves, but destroying what they held dear.

[ January 17, 2003: Message edited by: Iargwath ]