Meanings of a verse

Meanings of a verse

The passage below is from The Library: A Fragile History by Andrew Pettegree.

You learned sir, who enter among books,

don’t slam the door with your tumultuous hand;

nor let your rowdy foot create a bang,

a nuisance to the Muse.

Then, if you see someone

seated within, greet him by bowing,

and with a silent nod: nor waffle gossip:

here it’s the dead who speak to them who work.

The verse above is, according to the book, posted to make sure people observe the rule of silence on the entrance of the library of Amsterdam University.

Until verse line three I have no problem with the verse. But from the 4th line with the word Muse, I’m in confusion.

Let me tell you what my understanding of these lines, as hazy as it is.

1st and 2nd lines

You who know better don’t shut the door noisily with your violent hand

3rd and 4th lines

You who knows better also don’t stamp your foot noisily and bother the Muse,

Here I want to ask the meaning of ‘the Muse’. Since it has a capital ‘M’ it seems to mean the goddesses who presided over the arts. But why entering the library troubles only the Muse, why not Athena, the goddess of wisdom and useful arts, or other gods and goddesses? And that suspicion leads me to a wild guess. Muse with a small ‘m’ has a meaning ‘to contemplate’. Can ‘Muse’, though with a capital ‘M’, mean ‘to contemplate’ in this context?

5th, 6th, and 7th lines

And if you see someone seated within the library and meet eyes with each other you salute him with a bow and with a silent nod. But do not exchange idle chitchat.

Last line

In this library only the dead speak to those who read.

This line seems to warn those who speak to readers that if you speak in this library you are like a dead person.

Thanks in advance.