The Kouretes were, as their name indicates, a band of armed youths, of semi-divine origin, “Kureten sind von Haus aus halb-göttlich dämonische Wesen nicht nur menschliche Priester, oder deren mythische Vertreter.”[10] Again, they are to be considered as “elementare Urwesen,” and as such of “Göttliche Abkunft.”[11] Preller regards them as “Dämonen des Gebirgs,”[12] while a passage from Hesiod, quoted by Strabo, equates them with nymphs and satyrs, _i.e._, fertility demons.[13] When we remember that the Gandharvas are the Indian equivalent of the Satyrs the close parallel between the Maruts and the Kouretes, both alike bands of armed youths, of elementary origin, and connected with beings of a lower grade, is striking. The home of the Kouretes was in Crete, where they were closely associated with the worship of the goddess Rhea. The traditional story held that, in order to preserve the infant Zeus from destruction by his father Kronos, they danced their famous Sword Dance round the babe, overpowering his cries by the clash of their weapons. Their dance was by some writers identified with the Pyrrhic dance, first performed by Athene, in honour of her victory over the Giants, and taught by her to the Kouretes. It had however, as we shall see, a very distinct aim and purpose, and one in no way connected with warlike ends. In Miss J. E. Harrison’s deeply interesting volume, _Themis_,[14] she gives the translation of a fragmentary _Hymn of the Kouretes_, discovered among the ruins of a temple in Crete, a text which places beyond all doubt the fact that, however mythical in origin, the Kouretes, certainly, had actual human representatives, and that while in the case of the Maruts there may be a question as to whether their dance actually took place, or not, so far as the Kouretes are concerned there can be no such doubt. The following is the text as preserved to us; the slabs on which it is inscribed are broken, and there are consequent lacunae. “Io, Kouros most great, I give thee hail, Kronian, lord of all that is wet and gleaming, thou art come at the head of thy Daimones. To Dikte for the year, Oh march, and rejoice in the dance and song, “That we make to thee with harps and pipes mingled together, and sing as we come to a stand at thy well-fenced altar. “Io, &c. “For here the shielded Nurturers took thee, a child immortal, from Rhea, and with noise of beating feet hid thee away. “Io, &c. “And the Horai began to be fruitful year by year, and Dikè to possess mankind and all wild living things were held about by wealth-loving Peace. “Io, &c. “And the Horai began to be fruitful year by year, and Dikè to possess mankind and all wild living things were held about by wealth-loving Peace. “Io, &c. “To us also leap for full jars, and leap for fleecy flocks, and leap for fields of fruit, and for hives to bring increase. “Io, &c. “Leap for our cities, and leap for our sea-borne ships, and leap for our young citizens, and for goodly Themis.”