Quotations reproduce the original words from text or speech that the author or speaker made. In that respect, they can be introduced with an introductory sentence and colon. For example:
<em>In his most famous monologue, Prince Hamlet contemplates taking his own life: "To be, or not to be--that is the question:/ Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune/ Or to take arms against a sea of troubles/ And by opposing end them."</em>
Besides, quotations can be introduced with an introductory phrase and a comma, and by embedding the quote within a text without any additional commas or colons.
