Fates

The Fates were a common motif in European polytheism, most frequently represented as a group of three mythological goddesses (although the numbers differed in certain eras and cultures). They were often depicted as weavers of a tapestry on a loom, with the tapestry dictating the destinies of men. The primary instances include:

• Moirai, the Fates of Greek mythology who control the Threads of Fate
• Parcae, the Fates of Roman mythology
• Sudice (mythology), the Fates of Slavic mythology
• Norns, the Fates of Norse mythology and related to other female deities in Germanic paganism
• Matres, the Fates of the Ancient Celtic and Germanic culture.

This motif has been replicated in fictional accounts, such as:

• Three Witches, characters in Shakespeare's Macbeth
• The Fates, characters in Disney's Hercules
• The Sisters of Fate (God of War II), video game characters based on the Greek Fates.

See also

• Matres and Matrones, ancient deities venerated in northwestern Europe