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.