In Greek mythology, Python was Apollo’s famous serpentlike enemy at Delphi.
According to myth, Python guarded the site of Delphi before Apollo arrived. Apollo killed the creature, usually with his bow, and then established his oracle there. The story provided a mythic explanation for Apollo’s control of Delphi and for the sanctuary’s earlier connections with earth and prophecy.
Python is generally described as a female serpent or dragon in ancient sources, although later retellings vary. Apollo’s victory was commemorated through the Pythian Games, one of the major athletic festivals of the Greek world. The adjective “Pythian” comes from Python’s name and remained associated with Apollo and Delphi.
Python is often confused with Typhon, another enormous monster defeated by Zeus, and with the dragon Ladon, who guarded the golden apples. These creatures belong to different myths and are not interchangeable.