Pythian Games
one of the four great national festivals of the Greeks, held in the Crissæan plain, near Delphi (anciently called Pytho), said to have been instituted by Apollo after vanquishing the snaky monster, Python, and celebrated in his honor every four years.
Originally the contests were restricted to singing, with the accompaniment of cithern playing; but flute playing, athletic contests, horse racing, contests in art and poetry were afterward introduced.
PYTHON