Acheron
4
9.9
- proper noun
- /ˈækərɒn/
- Literature
:
Aqueronte
- Legend says that when you die, you must cross Acheron to reach the afterlife.
- Acheron river
Examples
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From the Topaz Throne she will bring back ancient Acheron... and open the gates of hell.
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"Acheron" is often described as a river that separates the living from the dead.
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"...and Acheron that divides the world of the living from the world of the dead."
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When he crosses the river Acheron, he has already been present at one instance of sin punished; however slightly, his awareness has therefore grown.
Academic text (1991) -
The sacred flame of Acheron that's burned since your time.
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Finally, the time has come for ancient Acheron's long-dead nobility.
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And I thought: Styx, Phlegethon, Acheron, Cocytus.
Fiction book (1999) -
Towards the end of these reflections, cleansing tears fill his eyes; in his imagination, he sees a scene that, as shown above, recalls the crossing of the river Acheron: in the partial darkness, he imagined he saw the form of a young man standing under a dripping tree.
Academic text (1991) -
In Greek mythology, souls were ferried across the river Acheron by Charon.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Acheron comes from Greek myth where it was the river in the underworld that souls had to cross to reach Hades. A helpful way to remember Acheron is to think of it as a river of 'ache' or 'sorrow' crossed in a small boat, which is why writers use it for deep sadness or death.