to have been the same person. But in reality
they were not persons, but places. They are, however, so far alike, as they
are terms which relate to the same worship and Deity. Opheltin is the
place, and altar of the Ophite God above-mentioned: and Archemorus was
undoubtedly the antient name of the neighbouring town, or city. It is a
compound of Ar-Chemorus; and signifies the city of Cham-Orus, the same who
is styled Ophel. In many of these places there was an antient tradition of
some person having been injured by a serpent in the beginning of life;
which they have represented as the state of childhood. The mythology upon
this occasion is different: for sometimes the personages spoken of are
killed by the serpent: at other times they kill it: and there are instances
where both histories are told of the same person. But whatever may have
been the consequence, the history is generally made to refer to a state of
childhood. Hercules has accordingly a conflict with two serpents in his
cradle: and Apollo, who was the same as Python, was made to engage a
serpent of this name at Parnassus, when he was a child;

[421][Greek: Kouros, eon, ETI GYMNOS, eti plokamoisi gegethos.]

Near mount Cyllene in Arcadia was the sacred Taphos of [422]AEputus, who was
supposed to have been stung by a serpent. AEputus was the same as Iapetus,
the father of mankind. In the Dionusiaca the priests used to be crowned
with serpents; and in their frantic exclamations to cry out [423]Eva, Eva;
and sometimes Evan, Evan: all which related to some history of a serpent.
Apollo, who is supposed by most to have been victor in his conflict with
the Pytho, is by Porphyry said to have been slain by that serpent:
Pythagoras affirmed, that he saw his tomb at Tripos in [424]Delphi; and
wrote there an epitaph to his honour. The name of Tripos is said to have
been given to the place, because the daughters of Triopus used to lament
there the fate of Apollo. But Apollo and the Python were the same; and
Tripus, or Triopus, the supposed father of these humane sisters, was a
variation for Tor-Opus, the serpent-hill, or temple; where neither Apollo,
nor the Python were slain, but where they were both worshipped, being one
and the same Deity. [425][Greek: Puthoi men oun ho Drakon ho Puthios
threskeuetai, kai tou Opheos he paneguris katangelletai Puthia.] _At
Python_ (the same as Delphi) _the Pythian Dragon is worshipped; and the
celebrity of the serpent is styled Pythian_