1. The eldest and wisest of the Nine Muses of Greek mythology. She is the muse of epic poetry, commonly known as Homer's muse, being the inspiration for Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.
2. A type of musical instrument which produces
sound by sending a gas (either
steam or, more recently, compressed
air) through large whistles.
3. Title of a story in Neil Gaiman's Sandman graphic novels, in which the Greek muse Calliope is featured - although here she is misidentified as the youngest muse.