Editing Pythia (section)

== Name ==
The name ''Pythia'' is derived from "''pythia [[hiereia]]''" ({{langx|el|πυθία ἱέρεια}}), meaning {{Gloss|priestess of the Pythian Apollo}}; it is related to ''Pythios'' ({{lang|el|Πύθιος}}), an epithet of [[Apollo]], itself deriving from ''Pytho'', which in myth was the original name of [[Delphi]].<ref>{{OEtymD|Pythia}}</ref> As such, the word is likely related to [[Python (mythology)|Python]], the name of the mythical snake that was slain by Apollo near Delphi.<ref>{{OEtymD|python}}</ref> Etymologically, the Greeks derived this place name from the verb {{lang|grc|πύθειν}} ({{grc-transl|πύθειν}}) 'to rot',<ref>{{OEtymD|python}}</ref> which refers to the sickly sweet smell from the decomposing body of the monstrous Python after it was slain by Apollo.<ref>''Homeric Hymn to Apollo'' 363–369.</ref>