I.a muse, one of the goddesses of poetry, music, and the other liberal arts. The ancients reckoned nine of them, viz.: Clio, the muse of history; Melpomene, of tragedy; Thalia, of comedy; Euterpe, of the flute; Terpsichore, of dancing; Calliope, of epic poetry; Erato, of lyric poetry; Urania, of astronomy; Polyhymnia, of the mimic art, Aus. Idyll. 20; Cic. N. D. 3, 21, 54; Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 92: “Musarum delubra,” Cic. Arch. 11, 27: “hic Musarum parens domusque Pieria, Mela, 2, 3, 2: crassiore Musā,” in a plainer, clearer manner, without too much refinement, Quint. 1, 10, 28: sine ullā Musā, without any genius, wit, taste, Varr. ap. Non. 448, 16.—
II. Transf.
A. A song, a poem: “musa procax,” Hor. C. 2, 1, 37: “pedestris,” a style of poetry bordering on prose, id. S. 2, 6, 17.—
B. Plur., sciences, studies: “quis est omnium, qui modo cum Musis, id est cum humanitate et cum doctrinā habeat aliquod commercium, qui, etc.,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 23, 66: “agrestiores,” id. Or. 3, 12: “mansuetiores,” philosophical studies, id. Fam. 1, 9, 23.
