three sisters, Atropus, Clotho, and Lachesis, known as the Fates; daughters of Zeus and Themis and sisters of the Horae; in Homer, the Moirae regulated the length of each person's life; one of the sisters spun the thread of life, one wound it, and one cut it when life came to an end; each person has a moira and it cannot be altered not even by the gods; the Moirae resembled the Keres.

The three Fates, pictured as ancient women who spun, wove, and cut off the individual threads signifying human lives. Named Atropos, Clotho, and Lachesis, they were the daughters of Zeus and Themis.

the 3 goddesses of fate or destiny; identified with the Roman Parcae and similar to the Norse Norns