Fates
The Fates who allot good and ill and pursue transgression, given two genealogies by Hesiod.
Overview
The Moirai are the three Fates Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. In the Theogony’s children-of-Night sequence, Nyx bears them alone; they allot good and ill at birth and pursue transgressions. Later in the same poem, however, the Moirai are also daughters of Zeus and Themis. The two genealogies coexist in one work and cannot be compressed into a single unlabelled lineage.
Key facts
The three Fates
In the Night branch, Hesiod names Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos.
Two genealogies in the same poem
Daughters of Nyx; daughters of Zeus and ThemisThe Night branch makes them daughters of Nyx, while lines 901–906 make them daughters of Zeus and Themis.
Relationships
- Nyxmother in the Night branch
In the Night branch Hesiod says Nyx bears the Moirai alone; later in the same poem they are daughters of Zeus and Themis.
- Zeusfather in the Themis genealogy
The later Theogony passage makes Zeus and Themis parents of the Moirai.
- Themismother in another genealogy
Theogony 901–906 names Themis as mother of the Moirai.
Story appearances
- Birth of the GodsFates with two genealogies
The Night branch makes them daughters of Nyx alone; later in the same poem they are daughters of Zeus and Themis.
- Olympian OrderFigure or event appearing in Olympian Order
Figure or event appearing in Olympian Order within the family, honours or council order that follows Zeus' victory.
Ancient sources
MythWeave distinguishes ancient-source evidence from later adaptations and modern interpretation.