The Acheron river is in north west Greece. Acheron translates as "river of woe" and, contrary to popular belief, is also the river that in ancient Greek mythology Charon ferried the newly dead souls across into Hades.

The word is also occasionally used as a metaphor for Hades itself.

The god of the river, an Oceanid and son of Oceanus and Tethys, fathered Ascalaphus with Orphne.

Virgil VI, 107