Enciclopedia Cattolica Vol. IV, 1950 Non-Christian religions Particular topics

Dactyli

DATTILI

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Also known as: Greek: Daktyloi; Idaean Dactyls, Dactyls; Latin: Dactyli Idaei

DACTYLI. - Minor deities of Greek religion, in the retinue of Cybele and Rhea, probably pre-Hellenic, Phrygian or Cretan.

They were mythical dwarfs, highly skilled smiths, the first who had worked iron, inventors of music, expert in the magical arts. Their number varies: for some they were 5 male and 5 female, according to others many more. In Crete they were connected with the infancy of Zeus, hence their identification with the Curetes, the Corybantes, etc. One of them, Heracles, was believed to be the founder of the Olympic games.

Bibliography

BIBL.: O. Kern, s. v. in Pauly-Wissova, IV, II, col. 2018 ff.

Luisa Banti

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By Luisa Banti

How we know signed in print

Translated from the Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. IV (1950), col. 1232.

More by Luisa Banti: Damia (Δαμιά) · Daphnephoria · Deisidaimonia · Curetes · Chthonic Deities

Cite this article

Chicago

Banti, Luisa. “Dattili.” In Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. IV, col. 1232. Città del Vaticano: Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1950. https://azioneromana.com/article/dattili.

MLA

Banti, Luisa. “Dattili.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. IV, Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1950, col. 1232. Azione Romana, https://azioneromana.com/article/dattili.

BibTeX

@incollection{ec4_dattili,
  author    = {Banti, Luisa},
  title     = {Dattili},
  booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica},
  volume    = {IV},
  pages     = {1232},
  note      = {Cited by column},
  publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico},
  address   = {Città del Vaticano},
  year      = {1950},
  url       = {https://azioneromana.com/article/dattili}
}

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