#aeneid

• Acronte — A proper name of ancient origin borne by characters in classical mythology or major epics of world literature. The most notable is Acronte (or Acheron), a figure mentioned in Virgil's Aeneid, representing a Trojan warrior of exceptional physical strength killed in battle by Mezentius, his name being etymologically closely linked to the dark connotations of the infernal river in Greek mythology.
• Aeneas — Aeneas; a famous Trojan hero, son of the goddess Aphrodite (Venus) and the mortal Anchises, a central character in Homer's Iliad and the protagonist of Virgil's epic poem, the Aeneid. After the fall of Troy, he sailed to Italy, becoming according to legend the mythical ancestor of the Romans and founder of the dynasty from which Romulus and Remus would descend.
• Anchises — A legendary character from Greek and Roman mythology, king of the Dardanians in the Troad, famous for his beauty which attracted the goddess Aphrodite (Venus), with whom he fathered the hero Aeneas. During the fall of Troy, being old and paralyzed, he was saved from the flames by his son, who carried him on his shoulders, becoming a universal symbol of filial piety in Virgil's 'Aeneid'.
• Anchisiades — A patronymic form of Greek origin used in classical literature (especially by the poet Virgil in 'The Aeneid') meaning 'the son of Anchises'. This solemn title is used exclusively to designate the Trojan hero Aeneas, highlighting his deep bond with his father and the nobility of his divine descent.
• The mind shudders to remember — Famous Latin phrase extracted from Virgil's epic 'Aeneid', literally translated as 'The mind shudders to remember'. This classical maxim is used culturally and creatively to express a profound state of terror, heartbreaking grief, or psychological revulsion felt by a person at the moment they are forced to recall a traumatic event, a tragedy, or extreme past suffering.
• Anius — A legendary king of the island of Delos and priest of Apollo in Greek mythology, son of Apollo and Rhoeo. He is recognized in ancient texts, including Virgil's 'Aeneid', as the host who hospitably received Aeneas during his journey to Italy and the father of the three Oenotropae, maidens blessed by Dionysos with the power to turn everything they touched into wheat, wine, and oil.
• Ascanius — The Latin language name and international academic form for the son of Aeneas, strictly used in classical philology, ancient history, and literary historiography (especially in the analysis of Virgil's Aeneid). This character represents a key structural element in the political propaganda of the Augustan era, justifying the divine legitimacy of the Julio-Claudian dynasty through a direct connection to the goddess Venus.
• Fortune favors the bold — A famous Latin dictum from Virgil's epic poem 'Aeneid', translating literally to 'fortune favors the bold' or 'fortune favors the brave'; a philosophical maxim used to underscore that success and luck belong to individuals who act with determination, courage, and resolve, embracing risks in the face of uncertainty.
• Accursed hunger for gold — A famous expression extracted from the epic poem 'Aeneid' by the Latin poet Virgil, literally translated as the 'accursed hunger for gold'. It represents a profound philosophical and moral critique of unchecked greed for material wealth, which drives humanity toward betrayal, crime, and the abandonment of fundamental spiritual values.
• Avernus — The ancient name of a volcanic lake located in the Campania region of Italy (Lago d'Averno), considered in Greek and Roman mythology to be the gateway to the underworld, Hades, or the Inferno; in an extended literary sense, the term is used as a poetic or allegorical metaphor to denote hell, death, darkness, or an endless abyss. The name etymologically derives from the Greek 'aornos' (birdless), due to the belief that toxic gas emendations killed any bird flying over it.
• Avernus — The classical Latin form of the toponym Avernus (Lago d'Averno), denoting the volcanic crater lake near Cumae (Italy), anciently regarded as the entrance to the Underworld; the term is widely used in academic literature, classical philology, and faithful translations of Virgil's works (The Aeneid) to evoke the subterranean realm of shades and the god Hades. Its etymology points to the absence of birds, due to toxic sulfurous gases emitted by the area's volcanic activity.