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Literary notes about conclave (AI summary)

The term “conclave” in literature is employed to evoke a sense of secrecy and solemnity, whether referring to formal institutions or more intimate, sometimes even whimsical, gatherings. In historical and political narratives, it often denotes a structured body or assembly—illustrated by its use in contexts like papal elections and councils where high stakes and gravitas prevail [1, 2, 3, 4]. Meanwhile, in other works the word is adapted to describe clandestine or familial meetings that, despite their casual appearance, carry an undercurrent of mystery and exclusivity [5, 6, 7]. Additionally, its usage in mythological or allegorical scenes, where divine beings or elemental forces are depicted congregating, extends its meaning to realms beyond the purely political, enriching the text with layers of symbolic resonance [8, 9, 10].
  1. But the obscure majority, who under our present constitution are destined to govern England, are as secret as a Venetian conclave.
    — from Sybil, Or, The Two Nations by Earl of Beaconsfield Benjamin Disraeli
  2. [ The genius of Cardinal de Retz had a right to paint a conclave, (of 1665,) in which he was a spectator and an actor, (Mémoires, tom. iv.
    — from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
  3. He became a cardinal, and in 1316 was elected Pope at the conclave of Lyons.
    — from In Troubadour-Land: A Ramble in Provence and Languedoc by S. (Sabine) Baring-Gould
  4. After his decease, the tedious and equal suspense of the conclave was fixed by the dexterity of the French faction.
    — from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
  5. Our conclave broke up at nine o’clock, and we set about our preparation diligently and with profound secrecy.
    — from Roughing It by Mark Twain
  6. " Mrs Durbeyfield was welcomed with glances and nods by the remainder of the conclave, and turned to where her husband sat.
    — from Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman by Thomas Hardy
  7. “Your Rambouillet is in full conclave,” he said, looking round at all the party; “the graces and the muses.”
    — from Anna Karenina by graf Leo Tolstoy
  8. “Thereupon the lord of treasures said, ‘At Kusasthali, O king, once there was held a conclave of the gods.
    — from The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1
  9. Then Jupiter called the gods into conclave with a view to destroy this mortal race.
    — from The Philosophy of Fine Art, volume 2 (of 4)Hegel's Aesthetik by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
  10. In this assemblage of monarchs like unto a conclave of the celestials, doth he not see a single monarch equal unto himself?
    — from The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1

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