LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum

facilis dēscensus Avernō

facilis dēscensus Avernō
Classical[ˈfa.kɪ.lɪs deːsˈkẽː.sʊs aˈwɛr.noː]Ecclesiastical[ˈfaː.t͡ʃi.lis deʃˈʃɛn.sus aˈvɛr.no]

Meaning

  1. The path to hell is easy.
    Talibus orabat dictis, arasque tenebat, cum sic orsa loqui vates: "Sate sanguine divom, Tros Anchisiade, facilis descensus Averno;Then thus replied the prophetess divine: "O goddess-born of great Anchises' line, The gates of hell are open night and day; Smooth the descent, and easy is the way: (loose translation by John Dryden, 1697)29-19 B.C.E. — Virgil, Aeneis, Book VI, lines 124-127

Origins

Literally "The descent to Avernus is easy." From Virgil's Aeneid, with reference to Avernus, a metonym for the underworld and to Lake Avernus in Italy, a volcanic crater lake reputed to emit deadly vapors.

Quick answers

What does facilis dēscensus Avernō mean in Latin?
facilis dēscensus Avernō, a proverb, means “The path to hell is easy.”.
How do you pronounce facilis dēscensus Avernō?
In classical Latin, [ˈfa.kɪ.lɪs deːsˈkẽː.sʊs aˈwɛr.noː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈfaː.t͡ʃi.lis deʃˈʃɛn.sus aˈvɛr.no].