--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And fast by, hanging in a golden chain…" description: "\"And fast by, hanging in a golden chain, This pendent world, in bigness as a star Of smallest magnitude, close by the moon.\" — John Milton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-milton-191_astronomy_and-fast-by-hanging-in-a-golden-chain-th_2428132.png" --- # And fast by, hanging in a golden chain, This pendent… ![“And fast by, hanging in a golden chain, This pendent world, in bigness as a star Of smallest magnitude, close by the moon.” quote by John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-milton-191_astronomy_and-fast-by-hanging-in-a-golden-chain-th_2428132.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-milton-191_astronomy_and-fast-by-hanging-in-a-golden-chain-th_2428132.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-milton-191_astronomy_and-fast-by-hanging-in-a-golden-chain-th_2428132.png) > “And fast by, hanging in a golden chain, This pendent world, in bigness as a star Of smallest magnitude, close by the moon.” [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even small, distant things hold significance in the vast cosmic order. **In simple terms:** Tiny things matter in the universe. Key Takeaway Notice the importance of minor details. Themes cosmos scale significance Mood wonderful contemplative Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - stargazing - scientific research - personal reflection Key Concepts Astronomy philosophy perception Questions to Reflect On - What small element in your life feels surprisingly important? - How does perspective change your view of significance? A Different Perspective Minor details can be misleading without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Chains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chains/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Paradise lost book 2](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradise-lost-book-2/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [When I get to Heaven they aren't going to see much of me but my heels, for I'll be hanging over the golden wall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isobel-miller-kuhn/when-i-get-to-heaven-they-aren-t-going-to-see-much-of-me-but-my-heels/) Isobel Miller Kuhn > [I saw a point that shone with light so keen, the eye that sees it cannot bear its blazing; the star that is for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/i-saw-a-point-that-shone-with-light-so-keen-the-eye-that-sees-it/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Live while ye may, Yet happy pair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/live-while-ye-may-yet-happy-pair/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Meanwhile the Adversary of God and man, Satan with thoughts inflamed of highest design, Puts on swift wings, and towards the gates of hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/meanwhile-the-adversary-of-god-and-man-satan-with-thoughts-inflamed/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Death Grinn'd horrible a ghastly smile, to hear His famine should be fill'd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/death-grinn-d-horrible-a-ghastly-smile-to-hear-his-famine-should-be/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Into this wild abyss, The womb of Nature and perhaps her grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/into-this-wild-abyss-the-womb-of-nature-and-perhaps-her-grave/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And feel by turns the bitter change Of fierce extremes, extremes by change more fierce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-feel-by-turns-the-bitter-change-of-fierce-extremes-extremes-by/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet, With charm of earliest birds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/sweet-is-the-breath-of-morn-her-rising-sweet-with-charm-of-earliest/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [The spirits perverse with easy intercourse pass to and fro, to tempt or punish mortals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-spirits-perverse-with-easy-intercourse-pass-to-and-fro-to-tempt/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Where eldest Night And Chaos, ancestors of Nature, hold Eternal anarchy amidst the noise Of endless wars, and by confusion stand; For hot, cold,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/where-eldest-night-and-chaos-ancestors-of-nature-hold-eternal-anarchy/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Th' ethereal mould Incapable of stain would soon expel Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire, Victorious. Thus repuls'd, our final hope Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/th-ethereal-mould-incapable-of-stain-would-soon-expel-her-mischief/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [God is thy law, thou mine: to know no more Is woman's happiest knowledge and her praise. With thee conversing I forget all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/god-is-thy-law-thou-mine-to-know-no-more-is-woman-s-happiest/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Better to reign in hell than serve in heav'n.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/better-to-reign-in-hell-than-serve-in-heav-n/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And on the Tree of Life, The middle tree and highest there that grew, Sat like a cormorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-on-the-tree-of-life-the-middle-tree-and-highest-there-that-grew/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Knowledge forbidden? Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Envy them that? Can it be sin to know, Can it be death? And do they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/knowledge-forbidden-suspicious-reasonless-why-should-their-lord-envy/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) ## More by John Milton > [Love-quarrels oft in pleasing concord end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/love-quarrels-oft-in-pleasing-concord-end/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [What better can we do than prostrate fall before Him reverent, and there confess humbly our faults, and pardon beg with tears watering the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/what-better-can-we-do-than-prostrate-fall-before-him-reverent-and/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And, when night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-when-night-darkens-the-streets-then-wander-forth-the-sons-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And, re-assembling our afflicted powers, consult how we may henceforth most offend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-re-assembling-our-afflicted-powers-consult-how-we-may-henceforth/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Yet hold it more humane, more heav'nly, first, By winning words to conquer willing hearts, And make persuasion do the work of fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/yet-hold-it-more-humane-more-heav-nly-first-by-winning-words-to/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [O nightingale, that on yon bloomy spray Warblest at eve, when all the woods are still; Thou with fresh hope the lover's heart dost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/o-nightingale-that-on-yon-bloomy-spray-warblest-at-eve-when-all-the/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [The debt immense of endless gratitude, So burthensome, still paying, still to owe; Forgetful what from him I still receivd, And understood not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-debt-immense-of-endless-gratitude-so-burthensome-still-paying/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Knowledge forbidden? Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Envy them that? Can it be sin to know, Can it be death? And do they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/knowledge-forbidden-suspicious-reasonless-why-should-their-lord-envy/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There is no truth sure enough to justify persecution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/there-is-no-truth-sure-enough-to-justify-persecution/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [New Presbyter is but Old Priest writ Large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/new-presbyter-is-but-old-priest-writ-large/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And what is faith, love, virtue unassayed Alone, without exterior help sustained?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-what-is-faith-love-virtue-unassayed-alone-without-exterior-help/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [This is servitude, To serve th'unwise, or him who hath rebelled Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee, Thyself not free, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/this-is-servitude-to-serve-th-unwise-or-him-who-hath-rebelled-against/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Let us seek Death, or he not found, supply With our own hands his office on ourselves; Why stand we longer shivering under fears,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/let-us-seek-death-or-he-not-found-supply-with-our-own-hands-his/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [They are the troublers, they are the dividers of unity, who neglect and don't permit others to unite those dissevered pieces which are yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/they-are-the-troublers-they-are-the-dividers-of-unity-who-neglect-and/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) [Explore all 966 John Milton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) ## More Astronomy quotes > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Wen daylight turns to a darkened hue, D lovely stars hinting at u, ur heart beat tells u something true, That some 1 badly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butterfly-kisses/wen-daylight-turns-to-a-darkened-hue-d-lovely-stars-hinting-at-u-ur/) Butterfly\_Kisses > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [From the grasses in the field to the stars in the sky, each one is doing just that; and there is such profound peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/from-the-grasses-in-the-field-to-the-stars-in-the-sky-each-one-is/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Sentinels of trees breathe life into bodies of earthly flesh As their mighty arms reach to the stars we join in their quest for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-ravenswood/sentinels-of-trees-breathe-life-into-bodies-of-earthly-flesh-as-their/) [Ramon Ravenswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-ravenswood/) > [“If there are no stars on the sky, you must try to be happy with the shining streetlights!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-there-are-no-stars-on-the-sky-you-must-try-to-be-happy-with-the/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) Nicole Gentile > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." ... quote has been credited to Les Brown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylviek/shoot-for-the-moon-even-if-you-miss-it-you-will-land-among-the-stars/) Sylviek > [When certain stars take you under their wing, it does help as they gauge your potential and are willing to work with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-bhatt/when-certain-stars-take-you-under-their-wing-it-does-help-as-they/) [Vikram Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-bhatt/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. The cosmic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-reason-so-many-of-us-are-obsessed-with-becoming-stars-is-because/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) [Browse all 6,190 Astronomy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And fast by, hanging in a golden chain, This pendent world, in bigness as a star Of smallest magnitude, close by the moon.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Milton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-fast-by-hanging-in-a-golden-chain-this-pendent-world-in-bigness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Astronomy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-fast-by-hanging-in-a-golden-chain-this-pendent-world-in-bigness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-milton-191_astronomy_and-fast-by-hanging-in-a-golden-chain-th_2428132.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-milton-191_astronomy_and-fast-by-hanging-in-a-golden-chain-th_2428132.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/john-milton-191_astronomy_and-fast-by-hanging-in-a-golden-chain-th_2428132.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And fast by, hanging in a golden chain, This pendent world, in bigness as a star Of smallest magnitude…” — John Milton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Milton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "And fast by, hanging in a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-fast-by-hanging-in-a-golden-chain-this-pendent-world-in-bigness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-fast-by-hanging-in-a-golden-chain-this-pendent-world-in-bigness/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```