The Fates

The Fates (known also as The Moirai) are the three goddesses of destiny. They are the three daughters of Zeus and Themis, titanness of divine law. In some retellings, they are direct daughters of Nyx, the goddess of the night. These three goddesses were responsible for determining when a mortal was born, how long they would live, and when they would die. They are known as three of the most powerful goddesses in the entire pantheon, as even Zeus is bound to whatever The Fates decide.

The Fates


Clotho is the youngest of the sisters. She is known as "the spinner". Her primary symbol is a distaff, from which she spins the thread that represents the life of an individual when they are born. She also has the power to revive and resurrect. In the myth of Tantalus, she is responsible for reviving Pelops after he had been chopped into a stew. She is the goddess of the present. Her roman equivalent is Nona

Lachesis is the middle sister. She is known as "the allotter". Her primary symbol is a measuring rod, with which she measures the thread of life to determine how long each person will live. She also determines what they will do during their life. She is said to present the souls that are about to go into a new life with various options of form, such as man or animal. She is the goddess of the past. Her roman equivalent is Decima.

Atropos is the eldest and most feared of the sisters. She is known as "the inevitable". Her primary symbol is a large pair of shears, which she uses to cut the thread of life whenever a person dies. She also determines how each individual will die. Atropos' title of "the inevitable" represents the inevitability and inflexibility of death. She is the goddess of the future. Her roman equivalent is Morta (Mavromataki, 1997).

In Myth
Though not having a myth that centers around them specifically, the Fates appear frequently in Greek mythology. As mentioned above, Clotho takes part in the myth of Tantalus, reviving Pelops after he had been chopped into a stew.

It was said that the Fates would appear at the crib side of every new born babe to tell of it's destiny. This is true in the myth of the hero Meleager. The Fates came to his crib, and told his mother Althaia that he would perish when the log that was burning in her fireplace was completely consumed. Horrified, Althaia put out the log and wrapped it in cloth, hiding it in a chest. Later, when Meleager was an adult, he got into a quarrel with and eventually killed his own uncles, Althaia's brother. Enraged, Althaia took the log from the chest and burnt it to ash, killing her son and fulfilling the Fates' prophecy.

They also appear in Euripides' play Alketis, tricked into becoming drunk by Apollo, in order to aid the mortal Admetos by having his life extended. The Fates agree to extend Admetos' life, but only if he can find a substitute to die in his place, setting up the action for the rest of the story (Buxton, 2004).

In Metamorphoses
In Metamorphoses, they appear in the story of Orpheus and Eurydice when the former enters the underworld to retrieve the latter. They are seen spinning away at their thread. Despite the fact that there are three fates, the official publication of the play only lists two of the female actresses being cast as fates (Zimmerman, 2002).

Reference
Buxton, R. G. A. "The Fates." The Complete World of Greek Mythology. London: Thames & Hudson, 2004. 86. Print.

Mavromataki, Maria. "Tyche - the Fates." Greek Mythology and Religion: Cosmogony, the Gods, Religious Customs, the Heroes. Athens: Editions Haïtalis, 1997. 127. Print.

Zimmerman, Mary, David R. Slavitt, and Ovid. Metamorphoses: A Play. Evanston, IL: Northwestern UP, 2002. Print.