> they speculate that the non-local individuals present were mercenaries
From the infamous Mauro Nero company?
From the infamous Mauro Nero company?
"Mauro" is the word for "black" in the Venetian dialect. Side-by-side with "Nero" (also "black") I thought you were making a joke in Italian, but I couldn't tell what it was.
Also, in ancient Greek it would be "Melan Ydor" (Μέλαν Ύδωρ).
In ancient (but also in modern) Greek, "nearon hydor" means "young (i.e. "fresh") water", and at least according to a greek professor whom I was watching on tv the other day, this phrase is where the modern "nero" originates from.