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In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Moirai (/ ˈ m ɔɪ r aɪ,-r iː /)—often known in English as the Fates—were the personifications of destiny. They were three sisters: Clotho (the spinner), Lachesis (the allotter), and Atropos (the inevitable, a metaphor for death). Their Roman equivalent is the Parcae. [1]
The Moirai, meaning "allotted portion" or "share", separated each sister into a different role in order to handle the fates of humans. The Fates were expected to appear within three days of a mortal's birth. [2] Clotho was the first of the three, known as "the spinner" because she wove the threads of human life while in the womb. [3]
As one of the three fates, her influence in Greek mythology was significant. Along with her sisters and Hermes , Clotho was given credit for creating the alphabet for their people. Even though Clotho and her sisters were worshiped as goddesses, their representation of fate is more central to their role in mythology.
Atropos (/ ˈ æ t r ə p ɒ s,-p ə s /; [1] [2] Ancient Greek: Ἄτροπος "without turn"), in Greek mythology, was the third of the Three Fates or Moirai, goddesses of fate and destiny. Her Roman equivalent was Morta. Atropos was the eldest of the Three Fates and was known as "the Inflexible One."
In classical religious iconography or mythological art, [4] three separate beings may represent either a triad who typically appear as a group (the Greek Moirai, Charites, and Erinyes; the Norse Norns; or the Irish Morrígan) or a single deity notable for having three aspects (Greek Hecate, Roman Diana). [5]
Lachesis (/ ˈ l æ k ɪ s ɪ s / LAK-iss-iss; Ancient Greek: Λάχεσις, romanized: Lákhesis, lit. 'disposer of lots'; from λαγχάνω lanchánō, 'to obtain by lot, by fate, or by the will of the gods'), in ancient Greek religion, was the middle of the Three Fates, or Moirai; the others were her sisters, Clotho and Atropos.
The names of the three Parcae are: Nona (Greek equivalent Clotho), who spun the thread of life from her distaff onto her spindle; [6] Decima (Greek Lachesis), who measured the thread of life with her rod; [6] Morta (Greek Atropos), who cut the thread of life and chose the manner of a person's death. [7] [8] [9]
Various triune or triple goddesses, or deities who appeared in groupings of three, were known to ancient religion. Well-known examples include the Tridevi (Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati), Triglav (Slavs), the Charites (Graces), the Horae (Seasons, of which there were three in the ancient Hellenistic reckoning), and the Moirai (Fates).