Curetes

Earth-born daemons, armed with weapons of bronze. When Zeus was still an infant he was taken to Crete by his mother Rhea to safeguard him from Cronus' wrath. She was afraid however, that Cronus would hear the child crying so she had the Curetes dance on the mountainside, banging their weapons and shields together. This noise drowned out all others sounds and ensured Zeus' safety. The name of Curetes was accordingly given to the priests of the Cretan Rhea and of the Idaean Zeus, who executed noisy war-dances at the festivals of those gods.

See also Corybantes.

❧