I.a., to make an offering which exhibits favorable prognostics, to sacrifice under favorable auspices, to obtain favorable omens.
I. Lit.
A. Neutr.: “si istuc umquam factum est, tum me Juppiter Faciat, ut semper sacrificem nec umquam litem,” Plaut. Poen. 2, 41: “nec auspicato, nec litato instruunt aciem,” without favorable omens, Liv. 5, 38: “Manlium egregie litasse,” id. 8, 9, 1: “non facile litare,” id. 27, 23; 29, 10, 6; Suet. Caes. 81; “curt. 7, 7, 29: impia tam saeve gesturus bella litasti,” Luc. 7, 171.—Prov.: mola tantum salsa litant, qui non habent tura, i. e. a man can give no more than he has, Plin. praef. § 11.—
(β).
With dat.: “cum pluribus dis immolatur, qui tandem evenit, ut litetur aliis, aliis non litetur,” Cic. Div. 2, 17, 38: “litatum est ei deo,” Plin. 10, 28, 40, § 75.—
(γ).
With abl.: “proximā hostiā litatur saepe pulcherrime,” Cic. Div. 2, 15, 36; so Plin. 8, 45, 70, § 183: “humanis hostiis,” Tac. G. 9.—
2. Of the victim itself, to give a favorable omen, promise a successful event: “victima Diti patri caesa litavit,” Suet. Oth. 8; id. Aug. 96: “non quacunque manu victima caesa litat,” Mart. 10, 73, 6.—
3. Transf., in gen., to make an offering, offer sacrifice: “qui hominem immolaverint, exve ejus sanguine litaverint ... capite puniuntur,” Paul. Sent. 5, 23, 16.—
B. Act., to offer acceptably (poet. and in post-class. prose): “exta litabat ovis,” Prop. 4 (5), 1, 24. “sacra bove,” Ov. F. 4, 630: “sacris litatis,” Verg. A. 4, 50: “sacris ex more litatis,” Ov. M. 14, 156: “Phoebe, tibi enim haec sacra litavi,” Stat. Th. 10, 338: “tibi litavi hoc sacrum,” Luc. 1, 632: “diis sanguinem humanum,” Flor. 3, 4, 2: “hostias,” Just. 20, 2, 14.—
II. Trop.
A. To bring an offering to, to make atonement to, to propitiate, appease, satisfy: “litemus Lentulo, parentemus Cethego,” Cic. Fl. 38, 96: “publico gaudio,” Plin. Pan. 52, 4: aliquid poenā, Auct. B. Hisp. 24. —Impers. pass.: “sanguine quaerendi reditus, animāque litandum Argolicā,” Verg. A. 2, 118: “postquam litatum est Ilio Phoebus redit,” Sen. Agm. 577: “de alicujus sanguine legibus,” App. M. 2, p. 132 fin.—
