Silente means "silent" or "still". While "silencioso" is the more common word for silent, "silente" is a more poetic and less frequently used synonym, giving it a unique charm.
In the song, Jorge Drexler uses it in the phrase "el centro del centro silente" (the center of the silent center). This creates a profound image of an inner, quiet core within oneself, where true feelings reside, making it a memorable and thought-provoking word.
Jorge Drexler's "Aquiles por su talón es Aquiles" is a beautiful, philosophical reflection on our inherent nature. He sings, "Se es lo que se es / Lo que siempre se ha sido" [One is what one is / What one has always been], suggesting that we are fundamentally shaped by our past and our true selves. It's a blunt truth: we don't always get to choose who we are or what happens to us. He points out that "Uno no elige de quien se enamora / Ni elige qué cosas a uno lo hieren" [One doesn't choose who one falls in love with / Nor chooses what things hurt one].
This song really gets to the core of what makes us, us. Drexler uses the powerful image of Achilles and his heel – his famous vulnerability – to explain that our flaws and inherent traits are part of our identity. "Se tiene el corazón que se trae por defecto / Así como Aquiles, por su talón, es Aquiles" [One has the heart one brings by default / Just as Achilles, by his heel, is Achilles]. It's a reminder that we carry our default settings, our strengths and weaknesses, and these are what make us unique. It's a comforting thought, in a way, that some things are just part of who we are, like a thirst that water can't quench, a deeper longing that drives us to search in the dark.