Literary notes about propitiate (AI summary)
The term "propitiate" is used across literature to convey the idea of appeasing or winning favor, often through the performance of specific acts or sacrifices. In ancient texts like Homer's works [1, 2, 3], the word is linked with rituals intended to appease deities such as Minerva and Jove, illustrating its religious connotations. This meaning extends into anthropological discussions, as seen in Frazer's analysis [4, 10–12, 18, 22] where offerings are made to placate spirits, ghosts, or nature deities. Moreover, authors like Dickens, Dumas, and Shaw [4, 5, 6, 7] expand its usage to more interpersonal or even social contexts, where propitiation may involve efforts to avoid displeasure or secure favor from other individuals. Even a humorous twist appears in Wagner's narrative [8], showing the word’s versatility in both sacred and secular realms.