Three illustrations inspired by the poem ‘The Three Fates’ Rosemary Dobson.
The Three Fates or Μοῖραι are Clotho / Κλωθώ the spinner, who spun the thread of an indivduals life, Lachesis / Λάχεσις the alloter, who measured its length and Atropos / Aτροπος the cutter, who cut the thread therefore ending the life.
The fates have had many different incarnations over the years, but after reading Dobson’s poem I like to think of them with colour.
Clotho /Κλωθώ "spinner". Clotho spun the thread of life from her distaff onto her spindle. In Roman mythology she was the goddess called upon in the ninth month of pregnancy.
Lachesis / Λάχεσις, "allotter" or drawer of lots. Lachesis measured the thread of life allotted to each person.
Atropos / Aτροπος, Cut. Atropos was the cutter of the thread of life. She chose the manner of each person's death; and when their time was come.