Curetes

Cūrētēs, um, m.: the earliest inhabitants of Crete; Cretans, 3.131.

Cūrētes, um, m., = Κουρῆτες,

• the most ancient inhabitants of the island of Crete, who paid their worship to Jupiter (as the Corybantes, who, at a later date, were identified with them, celebrated the worship of Cybele) with noisy music and armed dances, Hyg. Fab. 139; Lucr. 2, 629; Verg. A. 3, 131 Heyne; id. G. 4, 151; Ov. M. 4, 282; id. F. 4, 210; Sen. Herc. Oet. 1877; Val. Max. 2, 4, 4; Lact. 1, 11, 46 al.—
• II Hence,
• • A Cūrētis, ĭdis, f. adj., lit. pertaining to the Curetes; hence, poet. for Cretan: terra, Ov. M. 8, 153.—Also subst., an earlier name of the island of Crete itself, Plin. 4, 12, 20, § 58; and of Acarnania, id. 4, 1, 2, § 5; Sil. 15, 308.—
  • B Cūrētĭ-cus, a, um, adj., Cretan: carmina, Calp. Ecl. 4, 96.

Cūrētes, um, Akk. ēs u. as, m. (Κουρητες), die alten Jupiterpriester auf Kreta, die bei den orgiastischen Festen des kretischen Jupiter (wie die später mit ihnen identifizierten Korybanten bei denen der Cybele) Waffentänze unter lärmender Musik aufführten, neben Corybantes b. Hyg. fab. 139. Mythogr. Lat. 1, 104 u. 2, 16. Ov. fast. 4, 210. Sen. Herc. Oet. 1877 Leo: allein Verg. georg. 4, 151 (das. Voß S. 788). Ov. met. 4, 282. Hyg. fab. 20. Val. Max. 2, 4, 4. Lact. 1, 11, 46: Phrygii C. = Corybantes, Lucr. 2, 629: Dictaei C., ibid. 633. – Dav. A) Cūrēticus, a, um (Κουρητικός), kuretisch, poet. für kretisch, carmina, Calp. ecl. 4, 96. – B) Cūrētis, tidis, f. (Κουρητις), kuretisch, poet. für kretisch, terra, Kreta, Ov. met. 8, 153.

1 Cŭrētēs, um, m. (Cures), habitants de Cures, Sabins : Varro L. 5, 8 || sing. adj. Curetis Prop. 4, 4, 9, de Cures, Sabin.

2 Cūrētes, (13) um, m. , prêtres crétois qui veillèrent sur lʼenfance de Jupiter : Virg. G. 4, 151 || -ētĭcus, a, um, des Curètes : Calp. Ecl. 4, 96.

Cūrētēs um, m

• , Κουρῆτες, ancient priests of Cybele in Crete, V., O.

CURETES

CURETES, CURE´TIS. [AETOLIAp. 64.]

Curētes

(Κουρῆτες). In Cretan mythology the Curetes were demigods armed with weapons of brass, to whom the new-born child Zeus was committed by his mother Rhea for protection against his father Cronus. They drowned the cries of the child by striking their spears against their shields. They gave their name to the priests of the Cretan goddess Rhea and of the Idaean Zeus, who performed noisy war-dances at the festivals of those deities. See Corybantes; Rhea; Zeus.

Curetes Curetes, gods

• Paus. 3.25.2
• same as Idaean Dactyls: Paus. 5.7.6
• different from Corybantes: Paus. 8.37.6
• identified by some with Boy Lords: Paus. 10.38.7
• steal infant Zeus: Paus. 4.33.1
• guards of infant Zeus: Apollod. 1.1.4, Apollod. 1.1.7
• at war with the Calydonians: Apollod. 1.8.2
• make away with Epaphus: Apollod. 2.1.3
• tell Minos how to recover his dead son: Apollod. 3.2.2
• the first to run at Olympia: Paus. 8.2.2
• killed by Zeus: Apollod. 2.1.3
• altar: Paus. 5.8.1
• hall: Paus. 4.31.9
• representations of: Paus. 8.37.6