Fates

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Fates,

in Greek religion and mythology, three goddesses who controlled human lives; also called the Moerae or Moirai. They were: Clotho, who spun the web of life; Lachesis, who measured its length; and Atropos, who cut it. The Roman Fates were the Parcae—Nona, Decuma, and Morta. In Norse mythology, the three NornsNorns,
the Norse Fates. Like the Fates of Greek religion and mythology, the Norns spun and wove the web of life. Belief in the Norns was of great importance in Germanic religion and life. It was said that no one, not even the gods, could escape their fate.
..... Click the link for more information. wove the web of life.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Fates

(in Greek, Moirae), in ancient Greek mythology, the three daughters of Zeus and Themis. They were goddesses of fate, whose task was to watch over the course of human life. Clotho spun the thread of life, Lachesis assigned to each man his destiny, and, at the appointed hour, Atropos cut the thread of life irreversibly. In Roman mythology the Parcae corresponded to the Moirae.

Fates

three goddesses who spin, measure out, and cut the thread of each human’s life. Also called Lat. Parcae, Gk. Moirai. [Gk. Myth.: Benét, 757]

See: Fate

References in periodicals archive ?

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The Clotho is named after the Fate that began the thread of life.

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The distant soldiers are always shown running, bodies tilted in armored 45-degree full-gallop, leaning into their fates, death in far space a die already cast.