The "Epi-Epigraphs"...A prologue of sorts?

So, just in case you didn't reread (or ever read) the last of the originals, these four "epi-epigraphs by way of prologue" (my title, since none is given for them) remind you of (or fill you in on) a few of the important details. Let's look at each in turn.

GUILD BANK RECORDS, GAMMU BRANCH

"[A]n empire was left to fend for itself"? Why this and not "the empire"? A curious attempt at adding mythic resonance?

Stripped of its energy and resources, the ancient government of the Old Empire fell away. New power groups took root and grew strong, but never again would humans allow themselves to depend upon a monolithic leader or a key, finite substance. Single points of failure.

Part of the problem with this one is that no date is given for it. Considering how the Guild itself is still dependent on "a key, finite substance", relying on their own stockpiles and, later, the Bene Gesserit on Chapterhouse for spice, that last seems a bit silly.

Some say the Scattering was Leto II's Golden Path, a crucible in which to strengthen the human race forever, to teach us a lesson we could not forget.

Who says that? "And what is the Golden Path? you ask. It is the survival of humankind, nothing more nor less." (FH, GEoD) The Scattering was not the Golden Path, but it was one element of it. Sure, we can attribute this error to character POV—that old Prequelite standby—and blame the author of this Guild record. But later in the book, when other characters are depicted as viewing Leto II and his Golden Path as failures and when we are told that the Thinking Machine forces have reached the edges of the human scattering, it becomes clear that the true source of the error and misunderstanding lies elsewhere.

TAMALANE

Two things here. The first is the first sentence ("Even the most learned of us cannot imagine the scope of the Scattering"), which now reads to me as an attempt to plant the seed of the idea that The Scattering was not infinite (and therefore could eventually be encompassed by the machines) and to reinforce the idea that the Golden Path may have been a mistake or have failed.

The second is the grammatical mistake in the third sentence: "Entire civilizations rose and fell while out there those who remained in the Old Empire sat in complacency." Spot it? As I have said elsewhere, they really need to find some decent editors and galley-proof-readers.

MASTER SCYTALE

Unlike many, I didn't go back and reread the originals before reading Hunters (but hopefully I'll have time to do so over the holidays), so I'm relying completely on memory when I say that I don't find anything particularly inconsistent in this one. I'm not sure what the point of including it was, other than to cast doubt on the abilities of the "Lost Tleilaxu" from The Scattering. (Considering how long it took the Old Empire Tleilaxu to learn how to replicate spice, however, I'm not sure this is a valid criticism on Scytale's part.)

MURBELLA

Isn't this extremely verbose for an "emergency message"? Only the first sentence is necessary for a "Be on the look-out" warning, only it and the second of any relevance to other BG outposts. Inclusion of the remainder seems completely inappropriate for a message of this type. (Let's paraphrase: I, your new leader, am wishy-washy.) But, just in case anyone has forgotten, it does remind us that a Big Bad is coming. (Note as well the implication that the no-ship occupants are now enemies.)

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It may well be that these four initial epigraphs were based on something Brian and Kevin found in Frank Herbert's notes. I'm not sure I see the necessity of their inclusion here (or anywhere), however.