Dicte

• a mountain in the eastern part of Crete (now Sethia), in a cave of which Jupiter, acc. to fable, was concealed from Saturn, Plin. 24, 17, 102, § 164.—
• II Derivv.,
• • A Dictaeus, a, um, adj., Dictaean, among poets for Cretan: arva, Verg. A. 3, 171: saltus, id. ib. 4, 73: rura, Ov. M. 3, 2: greges, id. F. 5, 118: antrum, Verg. G. 4, 152: Nymphae, id. E. 6, 57: rex, i. e. Jupiter, id. G. 2, 536; also, Minos, Ov. M. 8, 43: Telestes, id. 9, 717: Dictaeae astra coronae, i. e. of Ariadne, Claud. II. Cons. Stil. 208: arundo, i. e. of the Cretans, who were famous archers, Sil. 13, 184; so, pennae, id. 15, 634.—
  • B dictamnus, i, f., or dic-tamnum, i, n., the plant dittany, growing in great abundance on Mount Dicte and Mount Ida: Origanum dictamnus, Linn.; Plin. 8, 27, 41, § 97; 25, 8, 53, § 93; 26, 14, 87, § 142; Verg. A. 12, 412; Cic. N. D. 2, 50, 126.

DICTE(Δίκτη, Strab. 10. p. 478 Diod. 5.70: Steph. B. ; Δίκτον, Arat. Phaen. 33 ; Δίκταιον ὄρος, Etym. M. s. v.;Dictaeus M., Plin. Nat. 4.12: Juktas), the well-known Cretan mountain where; according to story, Zeus rested from his labours on earth and in heaven. Here the lying Cretandared to show the tomb of the Father of gods and men,which remained an object of veneration or curiosity from an early period to the age of Constantine. (Cic. de N. D. 3.2. 1; Diod. 3.61; Lucian, de Sacrif. 10, vol. 1. p. 634, de Jov. Tragoed. 45, vol. 2. p. 693, ed. Hemst.; Origen. c. Cels. 2.143, p. 475, ed. Par.) The stony slopes of the mountain rose to the SE. of Cnossus, ou the E. side. Mr. Pashley found considerable remains of ancient walls at about 100 paces from the summit. The fragments offered good specimens of the polygonal construction. ( Trav. vol. 1. p. 220.) These, no doubt, are the remains of that ancient city described by the Venetian writer ( Descrizione dell' Isola di Candia) as lying on the E. or opposite side of the mountain to Lyctus, of which Ariosto ( Orland. Fur. 20.15) makes mention:-- Fra cento alme città ch‘ eano in Creta,Dictea più ricca, e più piacevol era.

On the lower slopes was the fountain, on the wonders of which the Venetian writer gives a glowing description ( Mus. Class. Antiq. vol. 2. p. 270), and which must, therefore, have existed at an earlier date than that recorded by the inscription as given by Mr. Pashley ( Trav. vol. 1. p. 211.)

DICTE[SCEPSIS]

(Δίκτη). A mountain in the east of Crete, where Zeus is said to have been reared. Hence he bore the surname Dictaeus. The Roman poets frequently employ the adjective Dictaeus as synonymous with Creticus.

• Apollod. 1.1.4