fates

The Fates, known in Greek as the Moirai, are three sister goddesses who govern human lifespans. Clotho spins the thread of life, Lachesis measures its length and assigns destinies, and Atropos cuts the thread, determining the moment of death. They are typically depicted as supreme, inexorable powers whose judgments even the gods must respect.

Origins and names vary by tradition. In Hesiod’s Theogony they are daughters of Night (Nyx), though other sources describe them as offspring of Zeus and Themis. In Roman mythology they are called the Parcae, commonly named Nona, Decima, and Morta. The Moirai are often imagined as weaving or shaping the fate of mortals and heroes, operating beyond human interference.

Role in myth: The Fates preside over birth and death, their decisions regarded as binding. While mortals and gods may attempt to bargain, plead, or delay, fate is typically portrayed as inescapable. Their presence appears in a range of myths and dramas, where characters confront the limits of free will and the consequences of destiny.

Cultural influence: The concept of fate attributed to the Fates has profoundly influenced Western thought, literature, and art. They symbolize the idea that life is governed by forces beyond individual control, a theme that recurs from ancient tragedy to modern storytelling and philosophical discussions of determinism.