I.a lute, lyre, a stringed instrument resembling the cithara, fabled to have been invented by Mercury and presented to Apollo, Hyg. Astr. 2, 7: “curvae lyrae parens,” Hor. C. 1, 10, 6: “Threiciam digitis increpuisse lyram,” Ov. H. 3, 118: “mox cecinit laudes prosperiore lyrā,” id. A. A. 3, 50; Val. Fl. 5, 100.—
II. Transf.
A. Lyric poetry, song: “imbellis,” Hor. C. 1, 6, 10: “Aeoliae Lesbis amica lyrae,” Ov. Am. 2, 18, 26; id. P. 3, 3, 45.—
B. In gen., poetic genius: “Inferior lyra,” Stat. Th. 10, 445.—
C. Lyra, the constellation, the Lyre: “exoriente Lyra,” Ov. F. 1, 315; cf. Hyg. Astr. 3, 6; Varr. R. R. 2, 5.