One of the reasons for Apollo's prominence in Greek mythology was his Oracle at Delphi, who could predict the future. Apollo established the oracle when he rid Delphi of the serpent, Python. Apollo dedicated a bronze tripod to the sanctuary there, and bestowed divine powers on the priestess. The priestess, known as the Pythia, would chew on laurel leaves and inhale the hallucinating vapors issuing from the temple floor, while mumbling prophecies that had to be translated by attendant male priests.
