Aornos
ἰχθύς ἐκ τῆς κεφαλῆς ὄζειν ἄρχεται → the fish stinks from the head, a fish rots from the head down, the fish rots from the head down, fish begin to stink at the head, the fish stinks first at the head, corruption starts at the top, the rot starts at the top
Latin > English (Lewis & Short)
Ăornos: i, = Ἄορνος (without birds) or ἡ Ἄορνος λίμνη (v. Strab. 1, 26; 5, 244 sqq.).
I Masc., the Lake of Avernus in Campania, now Averno, Verg. A. 6, 242.—
II Fem.
A A very high, steep rock in India, Curt. 8, 11.—
B A place in Epirus, Plin. prooem. 4.
Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)
Ăornŏs, ī,
1 m., marais de Campanie : Virg. En. 6, 242
2 f., ville d’Épire : Plin. 4, 2.
Latin > German (Georges)
Aornos, ī, m. u. f. (ἄορνος, ohne Vögel, weil den Vögeln verderblich wegen mephitischer Ausdünstung, avibus pestifera exhalatio, Plin. 4. prooem. § 2), I) m. der Avernersee (s. 1. Avernus das Nähere), Verg. Aen. 6, 242. – II) f. eine Stadt in Epirus, Plin. 4. prooem. § 2. – / Bei Curt. 8, 11 (39) 2 haben die besten Handschriften Aornin, s. Aornis.
Wikipedia EN
Aornos (Ancient Greek: Ἄορνος) was site of Alexander the Great's last siege, which took place on April 326 BC, at a mountain site located in modern Pakistan. Aornos offered the last threat to Alexander's supply line, which stretched, dangerously vulnerable, over the Hindu Kush back to Balkh, though Arrian (although disbelieving himself of this story) credits Alexander's desire to outdo his kinsman Heracles, who allegedly had proved unable to take a fort that the Macedonians called Ἄορνος Aornos (according to Arrian and Diodorus; Aornis according to Curtius; elsewhere Aornus): meaning "birdless" in Greek. According to one theory, the name is a corruption of an Indo-Iranian word, such as *awarana "fortified place". According to Arrian, the rock had a flat summit well-supplied with natural springs and wide enough to grow crops: it could not be starved into submission. Neighboring tribesmen who surrendered to Alexander offered to lead him to the best point of access.
