Ethereal Chronicles

Throughout ancient mythology, the concept of destiny held a profound significance. Man was bound to such destiny, and destiny was decided by the Moirai, the Goddesses of fate, birth and death. Three women made up this trio, and they were called Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. And these women wielded immense power over the course of every being’s existence, keeping balance and harmony within the universe.

The Moirai, or the Fates, stood above even the gods, for they spun the very thread of life itself, deciding the destiny of mortals and immortals alike.

APPEARANCE AND ATTRIBUTES

The Moirai were neither good nor evil, navigating only the fundamental matter of life and death. Three nights after the birth of a child, the women would appear, deciding how the child’s life should play out. Their appearances brought no comfort to the mortal eye and reflected only the weight of their responsibility. In place of beauty, they often appeared as aged crones, their forms twisted, ugly and sometimes lame.

Klotho was known as ‘the Spinner’, and carried with her a spindle, from which she spun the thread of life.

Lakhesis, Klotho’s sister, measured the thread to the time where the person must die. It was believed that because she was able to see the entire thread of their life, she also possessed prophetic powers, foretelling what could potentially happen to an individual over their lifetime.

Atropos,the eldest of the three, cut the thread with a pair of shears, thus ending the person’s life.

The trio acted without kindness, or mercy, nor could they be escaped by anyone, not even the gods. They were a reminder of life’s fragility, and the nature of destiny.

As bringers of death, the Moirai commanded the Erinyes, or the Furies, vengeful goddesses who brought divine retribution to those who had committed evil, inhumane crimes.

In Plato’s Republic, the Moirai sang with the Sirens, Lakhesis singing of the things that were, Klotho singing of the things that are, and Atropos of the things that are yet to happen.

MOIRA

Homer depicted the Moirai not as three separate goddesses but as a singular being, who wove, measured and cut the thread of life. As the King of the Gods, Zeus possessed similar abilities to influence the course of fate, and shared a close relationship with Moira.

Later, Hesiod split Moira’s persona into three, bringing forth the birth of Klotho, Lakhesis and Atropos. They were daughters of Nyx, the goddess of Night. In other interpretations, however, they became the daughters of Zeus and the Titan Themis, personification of law and order.

The name ‘Moira’ refers to the allotted “portions of life”. In this sense, it was believed that everybody was granted their own portion of existence, but attempting to alter or exceed one’s allotted portion by changing their fate was a perilous endeavor, one that risked disastrous consequences.

REFERENCES

The Fates (Moirai): Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos | Mythology.net

MOIRAE (Moirai) – The Fates, Greek Goddesses of Fate & Destiny (Roman Parcae) (theoi.com)