cantamen

κατὰ τὸν δεύτερον, φασί, πλοῦν τὰ ἐλάχιστα ληπτέον τῶν κακῶν → we must as second best, as people say, take the least of the evils

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

cantāmen: ĭnis, n. canto, III.; cf. cano, II.; cantus, II. B., and carmen; lit. a charming with words; hence, abstr. pro concr.,
I a spell, charm, magic sentence, incantation (very rare), Prop. 4 (5), 4, 51; App. M. 2, p. 114; id. Mag. 40, p. 299: magicum, Prud. adv. Sym. 2, 176.

cantāmĕn,¹⁶ ĭnis, n. (canto), charme, enchantement : Prop. 4, 4, 51 ; Prud. Symm. 2, 176.