Epigraphs

[Lycidas at worldnet.att.net]

Jeremy Osner wrote:
> 
> Isn't 'epigraph' also used to mean a witticism independent of whether
> it's at the beginning of a literary work? I tend to confuse epigraphs
> with epitaphs.

EpiGram:  As a rule a short, witty statement in verse or
prose which may be complimentary, satiric, or aphoristic.

Coleridge: "A dwarfish whole,
		It's body brevity, an wit its soul." 

Here I think Coleridge has Hamlet in mind, "Brevity is the
soul of wit" and Shakespeare, I think, is having a bit of
fun too, putting these words in the mouth of Polonius. Note
wit is also judgment and understanding. 

EpiGRAPH: (a) an inscription on a building for example; (b)
writing (legend) on a coin; (c) a quotation on the title
page of a book; (d) a motto heading a new paragraph or
section. 

EpiTAPH: Inscription on a tomb or grave, a kind of
valediction which may be solemn, complementary, witty, or
even flippant. 

> 
> Lycidas at worldnet.att.net wrote:
> 
> > Epigraph:
> >
> >     A brief quotation which appears at the beginning of a
> > literary work.
> 
> --
> Both Melissus and Parmenides argue fallaciously,
> and they make false assumptions and their reasonings
> are not logical; but the argument of Melissus is the
> more wearisome, for it sets no problem, but granted
> one strange thing, others follow; and there is no
> difficulty in this.
> 
> Aristotle, Physics

I'm surprised this part of Physics was not referenced during
the Clinton Bimbobroglio:

What "is" is. Note that Aristotle sez, as he will throughout
his books, what we are after is limited. Paraphrase,
Metaphysics I think, could be Ethics, It is the mark of a
wise man to look into things only so far as the subject
matter permits. Very scientific that, hmm?