What is the creature Python?
Many people have heard of the Python snake. In Greek mythology, Python was also a tough serpent. It was also called a dragon by some people. Python was a child of Gaea who was “Mother Earth” in the mythology. The serpent was placed by Gaea as a guardian of Delphi. The Greeks considered Delphi their center of the world because it was a sacred shrine. People would travel there to consult the Oracle at Delphi.
While Python was able to guard Delphi for a while it was eventually defeated by the Greek God Apollo. He was able to kill the dragon during his quest for revenge for his mother. Apollo was seeking revenge because the creature had been sent after his mother due to Hera’s jealousy.
The ancient mythology says that Apollo was born as one of the two children of the powerful God Zeus and Leto, the Goddess of motherhood. The other child born to Zeus and Leto was Artemis, the Goddess of the hunt, moon, and archery.
The Goddess Hera was Zeus’ sister-wife and often became jealous. Her jealousy of Leto caused her to send Python after Leto. Eventually, the serpent was chased by Apollo causing Python to flee its home on Mount Parnassus. Python went to Delphi where Apollo found it.
Apollo finally gained his revenge by slaying the fierce serpent Python at Delphi. After this happened, Delphi became an important place of worship for the Greek God Apollo. Zeus told Apollo to redeem himself for killing Python, though. So Apollo created the Pythian Games as his act of redemption.
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