History Main / Epigraph

* In keeping with Music/KanyeWest having an ego [[ItsAllAboutMe the size of Jupiter]], rather then having a epigraph at the start of the music video for his song ''Diamonds From Sierra Leone'', he instead quotes ''himself'' from the song about to play.

** ''Fanfic/FromBajorToTheBlack'' has the first four lines of Music/{{Journey}}'s [[http://youtu.be/VcjzHMhBtf0 "Don't Stop Believin'"]], neatly summing up Eleya's original reason for joining the Bajoran Militia.

* ''Series/{{Frontier}}'': Every episode is preceded by a quote that sounds like it could have been made by an 18th century writer commenting on the nature of power, perseverence, or man's soul, but invariably turns out to be someone rather unexpected for a historical drama, like Music/{{Beyonce}}.

An [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigraph_(literature) epigraph]] is the quotation of a line, excerpt or poetry done at the beginning or (more rarely) at the ending of a work, segment or chapter. Frequent in {{literature}}, shows up occasionally otherwise.

* ''Fanfic/{{Flufferverse}}'': Every chapter of each fic begins with at least one literary quote.

* ''Film/{{Cyberjack}}'': This cheesy Michael Dudikoff sci-fi action movie about a bunch of terrorists storming a building to steal a computer super-virus opens with a quote by, of all people, Creator/StephenHawking.

* ''Webcomic/TheTenTailorsOfWestonCourt'' opens with a quote from George "Beau" Brummell regarding the tailor John Weston.

* All first season episodes of ''Series/{{Millennium}}'' save for the pilot have a literary quote intertitle between TheTeaser and act one. The practice was mostly dropped after that, but with the occasional return.

* The recent film version of ''Film/TrueGrit'' begins with [[Literature/TheBible Proverbs 28:1]], "The wicked flee when none pursueth."

* The beginning of ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian1982'' has Nietzsche's StockQuote "That which does not kill us makes us stronger."

* The beginning of ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian1982'' has Nietzsche's quote "That which does not kill us makes us stronger."

* ''Film/KillBill'' quotes "Revenge is a dish best served cold" which is (falsely) attributed as being an [[InTheOriginalKlingon old Klingon]] [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan proverb]].

* ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' ends with a quote from The First History Man: "Where must we go... we who wander this Wasteland in search of our better selves?"

* Every run in Suzerain starts with quote by Nazım Hikmet Ran from his short Poem titled You:

* Each episode of ''[[VideoGame/HarukanaruTokiNoNakaDe Harukanaru Toki no Naka de - Hachiyou Shou]]'' has the ending sequence start with a ''tanka'' poem taken from ''Kokin Wakashuu'' books.
* One of the trailers for ''[[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion End of Evangelion]]'' opens with a quote from Milton's ''Literature/ParadiseLost'' -- namely, verses 146-150 from book 2.
* TheStinger in ''Anime/HighschoolOfTheDead'' ends with an excerpt from the Creator/TSEliot poem ''The Hollow Men'': "This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper."
* In ''Anime/Gundam00AWakeningOfTheTrailblazer'', TheStinger ends with the words of UsefulNotes/AlbertEinstein, "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved through understanding."

* ''Anime/{{Monster}}'' is epigraphed by a passage from Revelation which coincides with the plot.

* Issue five of ''[[ComicBook/TheFrankensteinMonster The Monster of Frankenstein]]'' has a quote from Music/CreedenceClearwaterRevival song "Bad Moon Rising" in its first page, foreshadowing [[spoiler:the werewolf business to come]].

* Every issue of ''ComicBook/ImmortalHulk'' begins with a quote that relates thematically to the events of the issue.

* ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger'': At the start of every chapter is a quote pulled from ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' which relates to the story's events.
* ''Fanfic/LostCities'': Each chapter begins with a quote from ''Literature/InvisibleCities'' by Creator/ItaloCalvino, another work about fantastical cities, in some way relevant to the themes of the city described within it.
%%* ''Fanfic/ThisPresentDarkness'': Every chapter has at least one.

* ''Fanfic/KyonBigDamnHero'': At the start of each chapter there are [[EncyclopediaExposita extracts of self-help books on being a hero, some poetry, or texts that are implied to be from future documents/books]].
* ''Fanfic/TiberiumWars'': Each chapter starts with a suitable quotation -- most are from sources in-universe, but the very first is a famous line by Robert Heinlein about the importance of the military.
* ''Fanfic/ProjectFreelancerPhaseOneGenesis'' mixes quotes from books, movies, and tv shows with [[EncyclopediaExposita journal entries]] from the [[Machinima/RedVsBlue Freelancers]]. The authors are particularly fond of ''Literature/DresdenFiles'' quotes.
%%* Anything Abicion has written since he watched ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'' starts with one.
* ''Fanfic/TheSonOfTheEmperor'': At the start of each is chapter is a quote, usually from a historical figure.
* ''Fanfic/DrunkardsWalk'': Each chapter of every story in the cycle starts with one or two relevant quotes, their sources ranging from modern pop music to ancient Greek philosophers.
* ''Fanfic/ADelicateBalance'': Every chapter starts with a quote from a Creator/JohnDonne poem, which also serve as [[IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming chapter titles]].
* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'':
** Chapter 1 of ''Fanfic/CourtneyAndTheViolinOfDespair'' begins with a {{morality ballad}} from the Creator/GilbertAndSullivan operetta, ''Theatre/{{Patience}}'', emphasizing Courtney’s good nature and the fact that she totally does not deserve [[ButtMonkey what’s about to happen to her]].
** Chapter 2 of ''Fanfic/{{Legacy|TotalDrama}}'' begins with a quote from the [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare Shakespeare]] play, ''Theatre/RichardII''.
** In ''Fanfic/TotalDramaIslandByGilbertAndSullivan'', all of the episode plot summaries start with a verse or verse fragment that fits the episode's tone or major events.
* In ''Fanfic/ToTheStars'' each chapter starts with one or two excerpts from in-universe works such as history books, instructions, documentations, documentaries etc. etc, that are relevant to the chapter. And one ShoutOut to ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri''.
* ''Fanfic/{{Stray}}'' has one for most of its chapters. A variation on [[ArcWords "What can change the nature of a man?"]] from ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' is the most common, but the story also uses quotes from ''The Waste Land,'' ''Evangelion,'' and other works.
* ''Fanfic/HorseshoesAndHandGrenades'' and all stories in that universe have quotes/poem verses that fit with the events within the chapter.
* ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/142103 Turnabout Reunion]]'' starts with a excerpt from chapter 2 of the ''WebAnimation/TurnaboutStorm'' [[RecursiveFanfiction fan]] {{novelization}}, so as to not keep readers out of the loop.

---> ''Just a small town girl / Livin' in a lonely world / She took the midnight train / Goin' anywhere''

* ''Fanfic/PeaceForgedInFire'' opens part 2 with the final verse and chorus of Music/{{Pink}}'s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTCDVfMz15M "Try."]]

* "Fanfic/SolaereSsiunHnaifvdaenn" uses [[AsTheGoodBookSays a line from]] Literature/TheQuran, appropriate considering the primary viewpoint character is Lieutenant Commander Jaleh Khoroushi, an Iranian Muslim:
-->“And tell my servants that they should speak in a most kindly manner [unto those who do not share their beliefs]. Verily, Satan is always ready to stir up discord between men; for verily, Satan is man’s foe. Hence, We have not sent you [unto men O Prophet] with power to determine their Faith.”

* Every chapter of ''Fanfic/OldWest'' is initiated with short verses borrowed from various [[CountryMusic country songs]] in order to [[ThematicThemeTune either capture the chapter's mood or describe certain characters]].
* ''Fanfic/TheWarOfTheMasters'': Several of the authors are major music geeks in addition to Trekkies, and nearly every story uses multiple songs as epigraphs. Some also cite {{Fictional Document}}s such as K'Ragh's memoir ''Foolish Notions''.
** ''Fanfic/AGoodCompromise'' borrows [[https://youtu.be/wpSunpfXoCg "Sacrifice"]] from the soundtrack of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' volume 2. The lyrics are seemingly being used to refer to the Dominion.
** "Fanfic/TheOnlyWayToGo" uses the Music/BrantleyGilbert song [[https://youtu.be/8IMn4c4MwM0 "One Hell of an Amen,"]] whose chorus also provides the story's title.
** "Fanfic/RemembranceOfTheFallen" uses a line from Creator/MattStover's ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' novelization:
--->“The dark is generous, and it is patient, and it always wins--but in the heart of its strength lies weakness: one lone candle is enough to hold it back. Love is more than a candle. Love can ignite the stars.”

* ''Fanfic/AThingOfVikings'' has each chapter open with an epigraph sourced from a fictional work from the future of the alternate history, which give painless exposition on some element of foreshadowing or worldbuilding, with the framing for each being as varied as textbooks, to a Norse-flavored Wiki, to military dossiers on the dragon breeds.
* ''Fanfic/PeaceOfMindPieceOfHeart'': Every chapter begins with one of these.

--> "Take the scorn and wear the horns\\

* ''Fanfic/{{Maat}}'': The first chapter has what's effectively one, as the protagonist is singing a song that's its first lines:
--> ''"On the road again\\
Just can't wait to get on the road again\\
The life I love is makin' music with my friends\\
And I can't wait to get on the road again"''

* ''Literature/TheHagakure'' is quoted throughout the gangster flick ''Film/GhostDogTheWayOfTheSamurai'' starring Forrest Whitaker as a gangster hitman, using title cards.
* ''Film/KillBill'' quotes "Revenge is a dish best served cold" which is (falsely) attributed as being an [[InTheOriginalKlingon old Klingon]] [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan proverb]].
* The ending of ''Film/TearsOfTheSun,'' a movie centering around Navy [=SEALs=] helping a group of refugees escape genocide-ridden Nigeria, has a quote attributed to (but probably not written by) Edmund Burke before the ending credits start: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

* To bring context to the brutality that is about to be shown, ''Film/ThePassionOfTheChrist'' brings us this abbreviated quote from Isaiah 53: 5 "He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; by His wounds we are healed"
* The opening credits sequence of ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'' includes a four-line quotation of the song "Changes" by Music/DavidBowie.
* The recent film version of ''Film/TrueGrit'' begins with [[Literature/TheBible Proverbs 28:1]], "The wicked flee when none pursueth."
* ''Film/TheTreeOfLife'' opens with a quotation from the [[Literature/TheBible The Book of Job]]:"Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation ... while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
* Three ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'' films open with a quote:
** ''[[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet3DreamWarriors Dream Warriors]]'' opens with Creator/EdgarAllanPoe's "Sleep, those little slices of death — how I loathe them."
** ''[[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet4TheDreamMaster The Dream Master]]'' opens with "When deep sleep falleth on men, fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake." (''Literature/TheBible'', Job IV, 13-14).
** ''Film/FreddysDeadTheFinalNightmare'' opens with two quotations; first one is Creator/FriedrichNietzsche's "Do you know the terror of he who falls asleep? To the toes he is very terrified, because the ground gives the way under him, and the dream begins..." and the second one comes from Freddy himself ("[[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet3DreamWarriors Welcome to prime time, bitch]].")
* ''Film/TheHouseByTheCemetery'' ends with a quote "No one will ever know whether the children are monsters or the monsters are children", which is falsely attributed to the writer Henry James (film's director Creator/LucioFulci actually came up with it).

* ''Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera1989'' opens with a quote from St. Jean Vitius of Rouen about making a DealWithTheDevil. The guy in question actually never existed.
* ''Film/EvilEaster3'' opens with a quote from religious historian Mattias Gardell that "national socialism could be defeated with garlic". The qoute is (on purpose) taken out on context as the text the qoute is taken from is critical to the idea of [[spoiler: Ghostapo occult nazi]] conspiracies.
* ''Film/StepsTroddenBlack'' opens with an excerpt from The Road Not Taken, from which it takes it title.
* ''Barbie'' movies frequently have an inspirational quote at the end of the credits, usually credited to Barbie herself.
* ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' ends with a quote from The First History Man: "Where must we go... we who wander this Wasteland in search of our better selves?"

* ''Film/{{Cyberjack}}'': This cheesy Michael Dudikoff sci-fi action movie about a bunch of terrorists storming a building to steal a computer super-virus opens with a quote by, of all people, Creator/StephenHawking.
* ''Film/TheGreatBeauty'' starts with a quote from Literature/JourneyToTheEndOfTheNight.
* ''Film/TheAbyss'' opens with a title card with a quote by Creator/FriedrichNietzsche's "...when you look long into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you."
* ''Film/{{Anon}}'' opens with lines from a 19th century poem expressing how the poet wants to be invisible even to {{God}}.
* ''Film/{{Spectre}}'' has "The dead are alive", before opening on a parade during Día de Muertos in Mexico, where Film/JamesBond follows the trail of a villain.

* ''Film/AllTooWellTheShortFilm'' opens with a quote from Creator/PabloNeruda, since it accompanies a LoveNostalgiaSong.
-->Love is so short, but forgetting is so long.

* Ann Radcliffe's novel ''Literature/TheItalian'' quotes several works of Creator/WilliamShakespeare, lines from Milton's ''Literature/ParadiseLost'' and other writing from before her time.

** "Return of the King" starts with an epigraph quoting UsefulNotes/MartinLutherKingJr, which is about how he wanted the next generation of black Americans to understand that [[UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement the privileges they'll have in the future, did not come without sacrifice]]; but only to be followed by a dismissive anonymous reply of "[[ApatheticCitizens Whatever, nigga]]". [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped It's pretty important to the overall message]].

* Instead of the usual intro from Haru and Gatchmon, the final two episodes of ''Anime/DigimonUniverseApplimonsters'' opens with a quote about the dangers of Artificial Intelligence, with Episode 51 starting with a quote from Stephen Hawking and the finale starting with a quote from Clive Sinclair. Both quotes are read out loud by Haru.

* ''Literature/InCryptid'': Every chapter and prologue, as well as some of the short stories (not the prequel ones) has an epigraph by a member of the Price-Healy family. The Istas and Ryan shorts, as well as "The Holy and Harrowing Pilgrimage of Mindy and Also Mork", cite cultural proverbs for the epigraphs. [[https://incryptid.fandom.com/wiki/Epigraphs A list can be found here.]]

* At the start of every chapter in ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger'' is a quote pulled from ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' which relates to the story's events.
* Every chapter of ''Fanfic/ThisPresentDarkness'' has at least one.
* Each chapter of ''Fanfic/AeonEntelechyEvangelion'' starts with one.
* At the start of each chapter of ''Fanfic/KyonBigDamnHero'' there are [[EncyclopediaExposita extracts of self-help books on being a hero, some poetry, or texts that are implied to be from future documents/books]].
* Each chapter of ''Fanfic/TiberiumWars'' starts with a suitable quotation - most are from sources in-universe, but the very first is a famous line by Robert Heinlein about the importance of the military.
* Fanfic/ProjectFreelancerPhaseOneGenesis mixes quotes from books, movies, and tv shows with [[EncyclopediaExposita journal entries]] from the [[Machinima/RedVsBlue Freelancers]]. The authors are particularly fond of ''Literature/DresdenFiles'' quotes.
* Pretty much anything Abicion has written since he watched ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'' starts with one.
* In ''Fanfic/TheSonOfTheEmperor'' at the start of each is chapter is a quote, usually from a historical figure.
* Each chapter of every story in the ''Fanfic/DrunkardsWalk'' fanfic cycle starts with one or two relevant quotes, their sources ranging from modern pop music to ancient Greek philosophers.
* Every chapter of the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanfiction ''Fanfic/ADelicateBalance'' starts with a quote from a Creator/JohnDonne poem, which also serve as [[IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming chapter titles.]]

->"''I am reminded of how Joe Queenan once suggested that if mediocre books were going to preface with quotes from great literature, how great literature could return the favour by prefacing themselves with quotes from Creator/TomClancy explaining the technical specifications of a military helicopter.''"
-->-- '''[[http://mightygodking.com/index.php/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-so-you-dont-have-to-read-it/ MightyGodKing]]''' on ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows''