Moirai

The Moirai — Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos — were the personification of fate itself. Clotho (the Spinner) spun the thread of life, Lachesis (the Allotter) measured its length, and Atropos (the Inevitable) cut it with her shears, ending a life.

Their parentage was debated — some said they were daughters of Zeus and Themis, others of Nyx (Night) alone. What was never debated was their authority. The Moirai were believed to determine the destiny of every being at birth, weaving the tapestry of events that would unfold throughout that life.

Even the gods were subject to fate. Zeus could delay or modify the Moirai's decrees, but ultimately could not overrule them. When his mortal son Sarpedon was fated to die at Troy, Zeus wept but did not intervene. This understanding — that even the king of the gods bowed to fate — was central to Greek religious thought.