Home

Atropos

Atropos is a figure from ancient Greek mythology, one of the three Moirai, or the Fates, who guide human destiny. She is the fate of death, the sister who cuts the thread of life to determine its end. The other two Moirai are Clotho, who spins the thread, and Lachesis, who measures its length. Together, they determine the span and end of each human life.

The name Atropos derives from Greek and is commonly translated as "inevitable" or "unavoidable." In most accounts,

Role and symbolism: As the end of life approaches, Atropos is associated with the moment of death

Cultural influence: Atropos has been a enduring symbol of mortality and fate in literature, art, and philosophy.

the
Moirai
are
the
daughters
of
Zeus
and
Themis,
though
some
traditions
attribute
their
origins
to
Nyx.
Atropos
is
typically
depicted
as
the
eldest
of
the
three
sisters
and
is
frequently
shown
holding
a
pair
of
shears
or
scissors,
symbolic
of
her
role
in
severing
life's
thread.
and
the
irreversible
decision
that
life
ends.
She
embodies
the
inescapable
nature
of
fate,
in
contrast
to
Clotho's
and
Lachesis's
roles
in
initiating
and
measuring
life.
In
Roman
mythology,
her
counterpart
is
Morta,
the
Parca
who
cuts
the
thread
of
life,
with
the
other
two
Parcae
corresponding
to
Nona
and
Decima.
The
concept
of
Atropos
continues
to
appear
in
modern
works
as
a
shorthand
for
the
inevitability
of
death
or
the
moment
fate
intervenes.