Lewis & Short

cantus, ūs, m. [cantus], 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).

  1. I. In gen.
    1. A. Of persons.
      1. 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, 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. 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.
    2. 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.
  2. II. Esp.
    1. A. Prophetic or oracular song: veridicos Parcae coeperunt edere cantus, Cat. 64, 306; cf. Tib. 1, 8, 4.
    2. 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.