cantĭcum, i, n. [cantus].
I Lit., a song in the Roman comedy , sung by one person , and accompanied by music and dancing; a monody , solo : nosti canticum (in Demiurgo Turpilii), meministi Roscium, Cic. Fam. 9, 22, 1: agere, Liv. 7, 2, 9: desaltare, Suet. Calig. 54: histrio in cantico quodam, id. Ner. 39: Neroniana, id. Vit. 11: Atellanis notissimum canticum exorsis, id. Galb. 13.—
II A song , in gen.: chorus canticum Insonuit, Phaedr. 5, 7, 25: canticum repetere, id. 5, 7, 31: omne convivium obscenis canticis strepit, Quint. 1, 2, 8; 1, 10, 23; cf. id. 1, 8, 2; 1, 12, 14; 9, 2, 35; 11, 3, 13.—
2 Esp. Canticum Canticorum, the Song of Songs , the Canticles , Vulg.—Hence,
B A singing tone in the delivery of an orator, Cic. Or. 18, 57; Plin. Ep. 2, 14, 13; cf. Quint. 1, 8, 2; 11, 3, 13.—
III A lampoon , a libellous song , Paul. Sent. 5, 4, 15; cf. Ap. Mag. 75, p. 322, 8.—
B A magic formula , incantation , Ap. Mag. p. 301, 12.