In Greek mythology, the three goddesses of destiny are the Moirai, also known in English as the Fates. They govern the portion of life assigned to each person, and their authority can extend even over the gods.
The three Moirai are Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Clotho spins the thread of life, Lachesis measures or assigns its allotted length, and Atropos cuts it when life ends. This imagery explains why the Moirai are commonly shown with spinning or measuring tools and scissors. Their names and exact roles vary somewhat among ancient authors.
Greek tradition does not present one completely fixed family tree for them. In Hesiod’s Theogony, they are daughters of Nyx, the primordial goddess of Night; elsewhere they are described as daughters of Zeus and Themis, the embodiment of divine order. In the Homeric poems, fate may appear as a more singular force called Moira or Aisa.
The Moirai are often confused with the Roman Parcae, who are their Roman counterparts, or with the Erinyes, who punish wrongdoing. The Norns belong to Norse mythology and are a related but distinct group of fate beings.