After all, this dragon was a serpent temple; a tumbos, τυμβος, formed of earth, and esteemed of old oracular. To this, Hyginus bears witness. [329]Python, Terræ filius, Draco ingens. Hic ante Apollinem ex oraculo in monte Parnasso responsa dare solitus est. Plutarch says, that the dispute between Apollo and the Dragon was about the privilege of the place. [330]Ὁι Δελφων θεολογοι νομιζουσιν ενταυθα ποτε προς οφιν τῳ Θεῳ περι του χρηστηριου μαχην γενεσθαι. Hence we may perceive, that he was in reality the Deity of the temple; though the Greeks made an idle distinction: and he was treated with divine honours. [331]Πυθοι μεν ουν ὁ Δρακων ὁ Πυθιος θρησκευεται, και του Οφεως ἡ πανηγυρις καταγγελλεται Πυθια. It is said, moreover, that the seventh day was appointed for a festival in the temple, and celebrated with a Pæan to the [332]serpent. We often read of virgins, who were exposed to dragons and sea-monsters; and of dragons which laid waste whole provinces, till they were at length, by some person of prowess, encountered and slain. These histories relate to women, who were immured in towers by the sea-side; and to banditti, who got possession of these places, whence they infested the adjacent country. The [333]author of the Chronicon Paschale supposes, that Andromeda, whom the poets describe as chained to a rock, and exposed to a sea-monster, was in reality confined in a temple of Neptune, a Petra of another sort. These dragons are represented as sleepless; because, in such places there were commonly lamps burning, and a watch maintained. In those more particularly set apart for religious service there was a fire, which never went out. [334]Irrestincta focis servant altaria flammas. The dragon of Apollonius is ever watchful. Ουδε ὁι ημαρ, Ου κνεφας ἡδυμος ὑπνος αναιδεα δαμναται οσσε. What the Poet styles the eyes of the Dragon, were undoubtedly windows in the upper part of the building, through which the fire appeared. Plutarch takes notice, that in the temple of Amon there was a [335]light continually burning. The like was observable in other temples of the [336]Egyptians. Pausanias mentions the lamp of Minerva [337]Polias at Athens, which never went out: the same custom was kept up in most of the [338]Prutaneia. The Chaldeans and Persians had sacred hearths; on which they preserved a [339]perpetual fire. In the temple of [340]Apollo Carneus at Cyrene, the fire upon the altar was never suffered to be extinguished. A like account is given by Said Ebn Batrick of the sacred fire, which was preserved in the great temple at [341]Aderbain in Armenia. The Nubian Geographer mentions a nation in India, called [342]Caimachitæ, who had large Puratheia, and maintained a perpetual fire. According to the Levitical law, a constant fire was to be kept up upon the altar of God. [343]_The fire shall be ever burning upon the altar: it shall never go out._