The Fates.
The portion of a life
The Fates: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos in Greek Mythology, or Moirai, allot the course and limits of a life. Their names and the image of a thread make the difficult idea of destiny into a set of actions that can be pictured and discussed.
More than a myth.
Who are Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos?
The familiar three are , associated with spinning; Lachesis, with the allotment of a portion; and Atropos, with what cannot be turned aside. Later presentations make them spin, measure, and end the thread of life. Their name Moirai points toward portions or shares, a useful starting point for the Greek idea of an allotted destiny.
Two genealogies in one poem
The first places the Fates among the children of Night, then later calls them daughters of and . Both passages survive. Displaying one set of parents is a practical choice for a chart, not proof that the other passage is irrelevant or that all ancient communities agreed about their origin.
Can Zeus change fate?
Greek works give different dramatic relationships to , divine decisions, and what must occur. A simple ranking that declares the Fates always stronger or always weaker than Zeus cannot account for every scene. ’s Myth of Er offers another arrangement around Necessity, showing that the image could support philosophical argument as well as .
Questions about The Fates
What are the three Fates called?
, Lachesis, and Atropos. The group is called the Moirai in Greek and commonly compared with the Roman Parcae.
Are the Fates daughters of Nyx?
They are in one passage of . Another gives and as their parents, so the answer depends on the particular being followed.
It’s a family affair.
The stories of The Fates.
Continue with the ancient accounts.
This story collection does not yet include a full retelling centered on The Fates. Explore the cited sources below and the connected profiles for more of the surviving accounts.
Ancient voices.
Enduring stories.
Myths have many tellings. These are the ancient works behind this profile, linked to freely available English translations.
Theogony
Lines 211–225, 901–906
The Fates: collected passages
Republic Book 10 · Myth of Er; the names and their roles