Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
from Latin Curetes, from Greek Kouretes, plural of Koures, literally "youthful," related to koros "youth, child."
Wikipedia
The term Curetes (; Greek Κουρῆτες) may refer to:
- The dancing attendants of Rhea, also known as Korybantes.
- An early Hellenic tribe: Curetes.
In Greek mythology and epic literature, the Curetes were a legendary people who took part in the quarrel over the Calydonian Boar. Strabo mentioned that the Curetes were assigned multiple identities and places of origin (i.e. either Acarnanians, Aetolians, from Crete, or from Euboea). However, he clarified the identity of the Curetes and regarded them solely as Aetolians. Dionysius of Halicarnassus mentioned the Curetes as the old name of the Aetolians.
Usage examples of "curetes".
Here an armed band to which the Greeks give the name of Phrygian Curetes, in that it haply joins in the game of arms and springs up in measure all dripping with blood, shaking with its nodding the frightful crests upon the head, represents the Dictaean Curetes who, as the story is, erst drowned in Crete that infant cry of Jove, when the young band about the young babe in rapid dance arms in hand to measured tread beat brass on brass, that Saturn might not get him to consign to his devouring jaws and stab the mother to the heart with a never-healing wound.
The Curetes and the Aetolians were fighting and killing one another round Calydon the Aetolians defending the city and the Curetes trying to destroy it.
On this the goddess set the Curetes and the Aetolians fighting furiously about the head and skin of the boar.