The three Moirae—Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos—were the personifications of fate. They ensured that every being followed the preordained course that had been set for them.
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Overview
The Moirae, also known as the “Fates,” were the goddesses who personified the Greek concept of μοῖρα (
moîra, “fate” or “allotment”). Their main function was to determine the lifespan of every mortal—when they would be born and when they would die. They were usually called the daughters of either
Nyx (“Night”) or of
Zeusand
Themis.
The names of the three Moirae reflected their individual tasks: Clotho (“Spinner”) spun the thread of a mortal’s life, Lachesis (“Apportioner”) measured the thread to its allotted length, and Atropos (“Unbending”) cut the thread when the time for death had arrived.
The Moirae were treated with awe and dread in the ancient world; not even the gods could alter the course of their work. They were worshipped widely by the Greeks, often in connection with Underworld gods like the
Erinyes (“Furies”),
Persephone, or
Hecate.
Etymology
The name “Moira” (Greek Μοῖρα, translit.
Moîra) is also a Greek noun meaning “allotment” or “portion.”
[1] Related Greek words include the noun μόρος (
móros, “doom”) and the verb μείρομαι (
meíromai, “receive a share, divide”). Etymologically, this group of words was likely derived from the Indo-European root *
smer- (“remember, care”).
[2]
In the common tradition, there were three Moirae, named Clotho (Κλωθώ, translit.
Klōthṓ), Lachesis (Λάχεσις, translit.
Láchesis), and Atropos (Ἄτροπος, translit.
Átropos).
[3]These names corresponded to the individual functions of the three Moirae with respect to the thread that represented a mortal’s life: Clotho, the “Spinner,” spun the thread; Lachesis, the “Apportioner,” measured the thread to its correct length; and Atropos, the “Unbending,” cut the thread when it had run its course.