All these histories relate to sacred inclosures; and to the worship of the serpent, and rites of fire, which were practised within them. Such an inclosure was by the Greeks styled [322]τεμενος, and the mound or high place ταφος and τυμβος; which had often a tower upon it, esteemed a sanctuary and asylum. Lycophron makes Cassandra say of Diomedes, [323]ΤYΜΒΟΣ δ' αυτον εκσωσει: _the temple, to which he shall fly, shall save him_. In process of time both the word τυμβος, as well as ταφος, were no longer taken in their original sense; but supposed uniformly to have been places of sepulture. This has turned many temples into tombs: and the Deities, to whom they were sacred, have been represented as there buried. There was an Orphic Dracontium at Lesbos; where a serpent was supposed to have been going to devour the remains of Orpheus: and this temple being of old styled Petra, it was fabled of the serpent, that he was turned into stone. [324] Hic ferus expositum peregrinis anguis arenis Os petit, et sparsos stillanti rore capillos. Tandem Phœbus adest: morsusque inferre parantem Arcet; et in lapidem rictus serpentis apertos Congelat; et patulos, ut erant, indurat hiatus. All the poetical accounts of heroes engaging with dragons have arisen from a misconception about these towers and temples; which those persons either founded, or else took in war. Or, if they were Deities of whom the story is told, these buildings were erected to their honour. But the Greeks made no distinction. They were fond of heroism; and interpreted every antient history according to their own prejudices: and in the most simple narrative could find out a martial achievement. No colony could settle any where, and build an Ophite temple, but there was supposed to have been a contention between a hero and a dragon. Cadmus, as I have shewn, was described in conflict with such an one near Thebes, whose teeth he sowed in the earth: [325]οδοντας Αονιοιο δρακοντος, ὁν ωγυγιῃ ενι Θηβῃ Καδμος, ὁτ' Ευρωπην διζημενος εισαφικανε, Πεφνε. Serpents are said to have infested [326]Cyprus, when it was occupied by its first inhabitants: and there was a fearful dragon in the isle of [327]Salamis. The Python of Parnassus is well known, which Apollo was supposed to have slain, when he was very young; a story finely told by Apollonius. [328]Ὡς ποτε πετραιῃ ὑπο δειραδι Παρνησσοιο Δελφυνην τοξοισι πελωριον εξεναριξε, Κουρος εων ετι γυμνος, ετι πλοκαμοισι γεγηθως.