(1) Charon was in greek mythology, the boatman who would pass the souls of the dead to the otherside. In modern folklore, Charon has become a figure much like the Grim Reaper,often depicted riding a horse across the land and collecting the souls.He lives in his palace beneath the earth,a place imagined like the ancient greek underworld, lightless,cold, and damp.
(2)Charontissa is in modern greek folklore is the wife of Charon and (3) the charopaidia (''his children'' in the text) their children.
(4) calling someone a ''snake'' in greek is an insult meaning treacherous, a traitor, without honesty, cruel.