APOTROPÆ, (from ἀποτρέπω, I avert), in the ancient poetry, verses composed for averting the wrath of incensed deities; and the deities invoked for averting any threatened misfortune were called Apotrepeans; they were also called Alexiaci, from ἀλέγω, I drive away; and Averunci from averruncus, which denotes the same.