in antiquity, a sort of priests, or people, of the isle of Crete; called also Corybantes. See Corybantes, and Crete. The Curetes are said to have been originally of mount Ida, in Phrygia; for which reason they were also called idei dalyli. See Dactyls.

Lucian and Diodorus Siculus represent them as very expert in casting of darts; though other authors give them no weapons but bucklers and pikes: but all agree in furnishing them with tabors, and cattanetta's; and relate that they used to dance much to the noise and clashing thereof. By this noise, it is said they prevented Saturn from hearing the cries of young Jupiter, whereby he was saved from being destroyed.

Some authors, however, give a different account of the Curetes: according to Pezron, and others, the Curetes were, in the times of Saturn, &c. and in the countries of Crete and Phrygia, what the druids were afterwards among the Gauls, &c. i.e. they were priests who had the care of what related to religion, and the worship of the gods.

Hence, as in those days it was supposed there was no communication with the gods but by divinations, auguries, and the operations of magic; the Curetes palled for magicians and enchanters: to these they added the study of the stars, of nature, and poetry; and so were philosophers, astronomers, &c.

Vossius, de Idolat. distinguishes three kinds of Curetes; those of Aetolia, those of Phrygia, and those of Crete who were originally derived from the Phrygians. The first, he says, took their name from seps, tonsure; in regard, from the time of a combat wherein the enemy seized their long hair, they always kept it cut: those of Phrygia and Crete, he supposes, were so called from seps, young man; in regard they were young, or because they nursed Jupiter when he was young.