the world > the supernatural > supernatural being > [noun] > spirit of deceased person > conductor of souls (4)
In Greek and Latin mythology the name of the ferryman who conveyed the shades of the departed across the Styx; often used allusively.
? A messenger sent to ‘fetch’ the soul of a dying person.
A mythical conductor or guide of souls to the place of the dead (in quot. 1603 as a title). Also in extended use.
A person who operates, or who is in charge of, a ferry.