The Curetes guarded the infant Zeus in the Dictaean Cave on Crete at Rhea's request, clashing their shields and spears in a war dance to mask his cries from Kronos.
The Curetes clashed their shields and danced on Crete specifically to deceive Kronos, preventing the Titan from hearing the infant Zeus's cries and discovering the child he sought to swallow.
While Amalthea nursed the infant Zeus in the Cretan cave, the Curetes clashed their shields and weapons outside to drown out the baby's cries and prevent Kronos from discovering him.
The Curetes were sometimes conflated with the Corybantes in the worship of Cybele and Attis. Both groups of ecstatic dancers performed armed dances in mystery rites honoring the Great Mother and her consort.
The Corybantes of Cybele were frequently conflated with the Curetes who protected the infant Zeus on Crete. Both groups were armored dancers whose clashing weapons produced ecstatic noise, strengthening the identification of Cybele with Rhea.
The Curetes were sometimes identified as attendants of Cybele, conflated with her Corybantes. Their role protecting the infant Zeus with clashing weapons paralleled the Corybantes' armored dances in Cybele's rites.
In Diodorus Siculus, the Curetes were born from the earth on Crete. Gaia brought forth these warrior-daimones to serve as protectors of the infant Zeus in the Dictaean Cave.
Rhea entrusted the infant Zeus to the Curetes on Crete. They guarded the cave where he was hidden, clashing shields and dancing to mask his cries from Kronos.
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