Why not a Python compiler?

[Jeff]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Pyrex.  It can be used to write
stand-alone C programs using near-Python syntax:

Pyrex: http://www.cosc.canterbury.ac.nz/greg.ewing/python/Pyrex/
Stand-alone how-to: http://www.freenet.org.nz/python/embeddingpyrex/
Pyrex how-to: http://ldots.org/pyrex-guide/,
http://www.artfulcode.net/articles/extending-python-pyrex/ (shameless
plug, I know)