# Past is Prologue

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-is-prologue/9375>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 29, 2000, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-is-prologue/9375 "2000-03-29T00:05:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Paul\_Coleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dfb087/32.png) [@Paul\_Coleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_Coleman)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-is-prologue/9375/1 "2000-03-29T00:05:00Z")

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Seen this phrase tossed about within more than one medium, what’s it all about?

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-is-prologue/9375/2 "2000-03-29T00:17:00Z")

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I believe it’s from “The Tempest”.

In other words, what’s happened in the past has an effect on events still to come.

That’s the way I view it.

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**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-is-prologue/9375/3 "2000-03-29T13:06:00Z")

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Yes, from “The Tempest” – “What’s past is prologue.” A prologue is an introduction or a preface. I once heard somone interpret it as: “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

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**Author:** ![Bucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Bucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bucky)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-is-prologue/9375/4 "2000-03-29T13:47:00Z")

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It’s also used much later in 1984.

Why do I get the feeling I’m being watched?

Bucky

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**Author:** ![Paul\_Coleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dfb087/32.png) [@Paul\_Coleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_Coleman)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2000, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-is-prologue/9375/5 "2000-03-30T06:16:00Z")

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While we’re listing sightings… I’m told Oliver Stone closed JFK with this quote against black screen.

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2000, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-is-prologue/9375/6 "2000-03-29T19:18:00Z")

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“What is Past is Prologue” is engraved on the walls of the National Archives in Washington DC.

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**Author:** ![AzRaek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/azraek/32/16739_2.png) [@AzRaek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AzRaek)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2000, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-is-prologue/9375/7 "2000-03-30T03:37:00Z")

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It’s also one of my 5 screen names in Yahoo Chatrooms…watch out for me if you’re ever in trivia.

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I mis-wasted my youth.