KORYBANTES
Greek Name
Κορυβας Κορυβαντες
Transliteration
Korybas, Korybantes
Latin Spelling
Corybas, Corybantes
Translation
Corybantic Dancers
THE EUBOIAN KORYBANTES (Euboean Corybantes) were seven rustic demi-gods (daimones) appointed by Zeus to guard the infant the infant Dionysos and his nurse, the Nymphe Mystis or Makris, on the island of Euboia. They were the sons of an obscure rustic deity named Sokos (Socus).
The list of names given by Nonnus are those of the Kretan Kouretes (Curetes). However the figure of Melisseus (Honey-Man) is closely connected the Euboian god Aristaios (Aristaeus) who was the foster-father of Dionysos in some accounts.
FAMILY OF THE CORYBANTES
PARENTS
SOKOS & KOMBE (Nonnus, Dionysiaca 13.135)
NAMES
The names given by Nonnus are those of the Kretan Kouretes
OFFSPRING
ABANTES (First Men of Euboia) (Dionysiaca 13.135)
ALTERNATE NAME SPELLINGS
Greek Name
Κυρβας Κυρβαντες
Transliteration
Kyrbas, Kyrbantes
Latin Spelling
Cyrbas, Cyrbantes
Translation
Corybantic Dancers
CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES
Strabo, Geography 10. 3. 19 (trans. Jones) (Greek geographer C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.)
:
"Some call the Kouretes (Curetes) ‘Kretes’ (Cretes), and say that the Kretes were the first
people to don brazen armour in Euboia, and that on this account they were also called ‘Khalkidians’
(Chalcidians)." [N.B. Khalkidians means both ‘of Khalkis’ which was the main town of Euboia,
and also ‘men of brass.’]
Nonnus, Dionysiaca 13. 135 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) :
"[The goddess Rheia summons rustic divinities to the army of Dionysos for a campaign against the Indians :]
The Euboian (Euboean) battalions were ruled by shield-bearing Korybantes (Corybantes), guardians of Dionysos in
his growing days : who in the Phrygian gulf beside mountain-ranging Rheia surrounded Bakkhos (Bacchuis) still a
child with their drumskins. They found him once, a horned baby, covered with a cloak the colour of purple wine,
lying among the rocks where Ino had left him in charge of Mystis the mother Korymbos (Corymbus). All these came
then from the famous island: Prymneus, and Mimas Waddlefoot, and Akmon (Acmon) the forester, Damneus and
Okythoos (Ocythous) the shieldman; and with them came flash-helm Melisseus as comrade to Idaios (Idaeus), whom
their father Sokos (Socus) under the insane goad of impiety had once cast out of the brinegirt country along
with Kombe (Combe) the mother of seven [Korybantes]. They escaped and passed to Knossian (Cnossian) soil, and
again went on their travels from Krete (Crete) to Phrygia, and from Phrygia to Athens; where they remained as
foreign settlers and hearthguests until Kekrops destroyed Sokos with avenging blade of justice; then leaving the
land of brineflooded Marathon turned their steps homewards to the sacred soil of the Abantes [i.e. the men of
Euboia], the earthborn stock of the ancient Kouretes (Curetes), whose life is the tune of pipes, whose life is
goodly noise of beaten swords, whose heart is set upon rhythmic circling of the feet and the shield-wise
dancing.
To the army came also warrior sons of the Abantes [Euboians] . . . Seven captains armed this host, but all of
one temper for war: with blazing altar they propitiated the tenants of the Zodiac path, committing their
campaign to the planets of equal number."
Nonnus, Dionysiaca 28. 275 ff :
"[During the Indian War of Dionysos :] The dancers of battle, the Diktaian Korybantes (Dictaean
Corybantes), joined in the battle.
[The Korybante] Damneus fought and pursued the enemy tribes. On the plain the warcry sounded.
[The Korybante] Prymneus succoured the excited Bakkhai (Bacchae) women, like a fair wind which blows astern and
saves the mariner riding with the gales; full welcome he came to the army, as [Dioskouros (Dioscuri)] Polydeukes
brings calm to buffeted ships when he puts to sleep the heavy billows of the galebreeding sea.
[The Korybante] Okythoos (Ocythous) with light quick step scared away the warriors. Many he slew with speedy
fate, bringing down one with spear in stand-up fight, one with a shot at a distant view, cutting down another
with horrid knife; another still running onwards and flying like to the breezes the furious pursuer caught,
plying his knees and feet quick as the wind--as good a runner as Iphiklos, who used to skim the untrodden calm
touching only the surface with the soles of his feet, and passed over a cornfield without bending the tops of
the ears with his travelling footsteps. Okythoos was like him windfoot.
[The Korybante] Mimas was in the thick of the fray, making a dance of battle with woven paces and frightening
the host, swinging a capering sword, the dancer-at-arms skipping in dead earnest with knowling leaps; as once
the pyrrhic dance raised a noise in the ears of Kronos (Cronus), and clanged sword on shield on Mount Ida, and
rang out a valiant din to deceive the enemy, as he screened the stealthy nurture of growing Zeus. So mailclad
Mimas brandished his spear in air in mimicry of the dance-at-arms, as he cut down the heads of his foes, an iron
harvest of battle; so he offered the firstfruits of the enemy to witnessing Bakkhos (Bacchus) with Indianslaying
axe and doublebiting sword; so he poured his libation of blood and gore to Dionysos, instead of the sacrifice of
cattle and the wonted drinkoffering of wine.
Beside Okythoos, [the Korybante] Akmon (Acmon) with brilliant helmet moved his restless circling feet in knowing
leaps. He fought unshakeable like the hammer-beaten anvil of his name, holding Korybantic shield, which had
often held in its hollow baby Zeus asleep among the mountains: yes, a little cave once was the home of Zeus,
where the sacred goat [Amaltheia] played the nurse to him with her milky udder for a makeshift, and cleverly let
him suck the strange milk, when the noise of shaken shields resounded beaten on the back with tumbling steel to
hide the little child with their clanging. Their help allowed Rheia to wrap up that stone of deceit, and gave it
to Kronos (Cronus) for a meal in place of Kronides (Cronides) [Zeus].
Sharpsighted [Korybante] Idaios (Idaeus) entered the revels of war, that dance of battle turning his intricate
steps, incessantly shaken with the mad passion for Indian carnage.
[Korybante] Melisseus also scared all the dusky host with boldness unshaken. True to his name, he imitated the
bee up in arms with her terrible sting. Morrheus hurled a hurtling stone against he quick Kourete (Curete) who
faces him, but he missed Melisseus, he missed him--for it is not seemly that a Korybante should be killed with a
millstone.
So the dancers of cruel war fought all together as one. Round the car of Deriades they gathered in a ring of
shields, beating their armour, and surrounded the tower in rhythmic battle and shieldbearing dance. And the
noise mounted through the air to the palace of Zeus, and the fairfooted Horai (Horae, Seasons) trembled at the
turmoil of both armies."
Nonnus, Dionysiaca 29. 215 ff :
"[During the Indian War of Dionysos :] The Diktaian Korybantes (Dictaean Corybantes) joined battle, shaking
the plumes of their highcrested helmets, rushing madly into the fray. Their naked swords rang on their beaten
shields in emulation, along with resounding leaps; they imitated the rhythm of the dance-at-arms with quick
circling movements of their feet, a revel in the battlefield. The Indian nation was ravaged by the steel of
those mountaineer herdsmen, the Kouretes (Curetes). Many a man fell headlong into the dust when the heard the
bellow of the heavy-thumping oxhides."
Nonnus, Dionysiaca 9. 160 ff :
"The goddess [Rhea] took care of him [the baby Dionysos]; and while he was yet a boy, she set him to drive
a car drawn by ravening lions. Within that godwelcoming courtyard, the tripping Korybantes (Corybantes) would
surround Dionysos with their childcherishing dance, and clash their swords, and strike their shields with
rebounding steel in alternate movements, to conceal the growing boyhood of Dionysos; and as the boy listened to
the fostering noise of the shields he grew up under the care of the Korybantes [Kouretes (Curetes)] like his
father [Zeus]."
[N.B. The Korybantes here are a mixture of Euboian, Kretan and Phrygian demi-gods--Nonnus confaltes the various
traditions.]
SOURCES
GREEK
- Strabo, Geography - Greek Geography C1st B.C. - C1st A.D.
- Nonnus, Dionysiaca - Greek Epic C5th A.D.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.