Zeus was having an affair with the goddess, Leto, and he had impregnated her. Hera jealously sent Python to follow Leto around the world so that she could have no peace. No city offered sanctuary to Leto because they were afraid of Hera's wrath. Finally, Delos, a floating island, gave Leto a place to give birth. Delos was hard to reach and somewhat out of Hera's power. After Leto gave birth to Apollo and his twin sister, Artemis, four pillars secured Delos to the ocean floor in thanks for letting Leto give birth there. When Apollo heard that Python, a monstrous serpent, had been harassing his mother during her pregnancy, he immediately set out to kill Python. Zeus was outraged when he heard that Apollo had slain Python with his arrows since Python had been the son of Gaia, the earth. Once Python was killed, Apollo took over Python's temple and instructed a priestess, know as Pythia, to give guidance to Apollo's worshippers. Zeus demanded that Apollo be purified at Tempe, but Apollo chose to be purified at Crete instead. As well, Apollo had to serve King Admetus for nine years as a herdsman. When Apollo was finished his nine years serving as King Admetus' slave, he went back to Delphi, the place where he killed Python. When he went back to Delphi, he was disguised as a dolphin and had brought back priests from Crete.
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