Book VII opens with another prologue to Urania, who in classical mythology was the Muse of Astronomy but whom Milton has transformed into a heavenly or Christian inspiration. In this prologue, Milton asks Urania to bring his thoughts down from Heaven and back to Earth and to inspire him once more to rise above his physical limitations.
Returning to the scene in Eden, Adam asks Raphael to relate the story of the creation of the world. Raphael replies that after the rebellious angels were defeated, God wished to add a new creation so that no place in the universe would seem unpopulated by the absence of the fallen angels. He decided to create Mankind to live on Earth. Through obedience to God’s will, Man would finally unite Earth with Heaven. God sent the Son forth to create Earth and the heavens that surround it. The Son accomplished this creation and hung Earth on a chain suspended from Heaven. Then God began the creation that would lead to Man. Raphael’s account here closely follows the story of creation in Genesis, in which over a period of seven days, God creates the foundations of life (light, firmament, the seasons of the year, and so on) and then life itself, beginning with fish and other creatures and culminating in the creation of Man (Adam). Raphael concludes his description of the creation with an account of the rejoicing in Heaven over God’s handiwork.
