cantus

cantus, ūs, m. [id.], the production of melodious sound, a musical utterance or expression, either with voice or instrument; hence, song, singing, playing, music (while carmen is prop. the contents or substance of the song, etc.; cf.:

qui enim cantus moderatā oratione dulcior invenire potest? Quod carmen artificiosā conclusione aptius?

Cic. de Or. 2, 8, 34 ).

I.

In gen.

A.

Of persons.

1.

With the voice, a singing, song; in full, cantus vocum, Cic. Rosc. Am. 46, 134:

fit etiam saepe vocum gravitate et cantibus ut pellantur animi, etc.,

id. Div. 1, 36, 80:

cantus vocis juvat sociatā nervorum concordiā,

Quint. 5, 10, 124:

oris,

id. 11, 3, [p. 282] 23:

Sirenum,

Cic. Fin. 5, 18, 49; Quint. 5, 8, 1; cf. Juv. 9, 150:

comissationes, cantus, symphoniae,

Cic. Cael. 15, 35; id. Verr. 2, 5, 13, § 31; id. Fin. 5, 18, 49; Lucr. 5, 1406:

felices cantus ore sonante dedit,

Tib. 3, 4, 40:

cantu tremulo (i.e. voce anili),

Hor. C. 4, 13, 5:

praecipe lugubres Cantus,

id. ib. 1, 24, 3:

longum cantu solata laborem,

Verg. G. 1, 293; cf.:

est etiam in dicendo quidam cantus obscurior,

musical play of voice, Cic. Or. 17, 57.—

2.

With instruments, a playing, music:

in nervorum vocumque cantibus,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 2, 4; id. Rosc. Am. 46, 134:

citharae,

Hor. C. 3, 1, 20:

horribili stridebat tibia cantu,

Cat. 64, 264:

querulae tibiae,

Hor. C. 3, 7, 30:

dulcis tibia cantu,

Tib. 1, 7, 47:

bucinarum,

Cic. Mur. 9, 22:

simul ac tubarum est auditus cantus,

Liv. 25, 24, 5:

lyrae,

Plin. 34, 8, 19, § 72:

tibicines, qui fidibus utuntur, suo arbitrio cantus numerosque moderantur,

Cic. Tusc. 5, 36, 104:

cantu tubarum convocare concilium, Auct. B. G. 8, 20: raucisonoque mi-nantur cornua cantu,

Lucr. 2, 619:

rauco strepuerunt cornua cantu,

Verg. A. 8, 2.—

Of an actor: tardiores tibicinis modos et cantus remissiores facere,

Cic. de Or. 1, 60, 254.—

B.

Of birds, etc.:

raucisoni cantus,

Lucr. 5, 1084:

cantus avium et volatus,

Cic. Div. 1, 42, 94; Hor. C. 3, 1, 20; App. Flor. 2, p. 349:

volucrum,

Quint. 10, 3, 24.—Of the nightingale, Phaedr. 3, 18, 2; Plin. 10, 29, 43, § 81.—Of the cock, a crowing: (galli) favent faucibus russis cantu plausuque premunt alas, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 2, 26, 57 (Trag. Rel. v. 251 Vahl.); Cic. Mur. 9, 22; id. Div. 2, 26, 56:

sub galli cantum,

at daybreak, cock-crowing, Hor. S. 1, 1, 10:

vigil ales cristati cantibus oris Evocat Auroram,

Ov. M. 11, 597; Plin. 10, 21, 24, § 46; Quint. 11, 3, 51:

fulix fundens e gutture cantus, Cic. Div, poët. 1, 8, 14: perdix testata gaudia cantu est,

Ov. M. 8, 238:

seros exercet noctua cantus,

Verg. G. 1, 403:

(cycni) cantus dedere,

id. A. 1, 398.—

II.

Esp.

A.

Prophetic or oracular song:

veridicos Parcae coeperunt edere cantus,

Cat. 64, 306; cf. Tib. 1, 8, 4.—

B.

An incantation, charm, magic song, etc.: cantusque artesque magorum. Ov. M. 7, 195; 7, 201:

at cantu commotae Erebi de sedibus imis Umbrae ibant,

Verg. G. 4, 471:

magici,

Col. 10, 367:

Haemoniis agitare cantibus umbras,

Val. Fl. 6, 448:

amores Cantibus solvere,

Tib. 1, 2, 60; 1, 2, 45; 1, 2, 53:

cantus e curru Lunam deducere tentat,

id. 1, 8, 19; 4, 1, 63; 4, 4, 10; Ov. H. 12, 167; id. M. 4, 49.