This is the second hellgate, in my “10 Global Hellgates” series.

In Greek mythology, the Acheron River is 1 of 5 rivers of the Greek underworld and known as the “River of woe”.

This river divides the land of the living and of the dead.

“Locals identify the Acheron Narrows as the Gateway to Hades, where Hermes led the souls of the recently deceased, although written sources place the entrance in the Acherusian Lake. There, the ferryman of Hades, Charon, would be waiting to take them across to the Underworld. His payment was a coin that had been placed in the mouth or on the lips of the deceased when they were buried.” (See Source # 2)

Legend:

“The River Acheron was perceived to be a physical barrier between the Underworld and the mortal world, for mortals could not cross it to enter the Underworld, and the dead could not cross it to escape.

To this end, Hermes, Thanatos, or another Psychopomp, would bring the souls of the deceased to the bank of the Acheron, and the Charon, the ferryman, would transport the souls across the river on his skiff. Transport was dependent upon payment though, for during funeral rites, coins would be left in the eyes, or mouth, of the deceased.

Those who could not pay would be left to wander aimlessly along the bank of the Acheron, and could possibly give rise to ghosts in the mortal realm. It was also along the far bank of the Acheron along which Cerberus, the triple headed dog, would patrol.

The Acheron would be called the River of Pain, or Woe, in Greek mythology.

Nearly all rivers in Greek mythology had a Potamoi, a river god, associated with them, and originally the Acheron has a son of Oceanus associated with it. In later mythology though, Acheron was actually named as a son of Gaia and Helios who was transformed into a river as punishment by Zeus, for this Acheron had given water to the Titans during the Titanomachy.” (See Source # 3)

Sources:

1.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acheron

2.) https://www.greece-is.com/knocking-underworlds-door/

3.) https://www.greeklegendsandmyths.com/rivers-of-the-underworld.html

4.) https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g189452-d2706042-r366356660-Acheron_River-Parga_Preveza_Region_Epirus.html

5.) https://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/PotamosAkheron.html