Horace's "___ Poetica"

ARS

Think of the Latin word for "art," famously tied to an ancient guide on writing.

This clue refers to the famous Latin work "Ars Poetica" (meaning "The Art of Poetry") by the Roman poet Horace. The blank asks for the first word of the title, which is "ars"—Latin for "art." It’s a straightforward reference to a well-known literary text, so no wordplay is involved. If you’ve heard of Horace’s guide to poetry, this one should click right away.