Moirae (Fates)

The three goddesses of human destiny; they decide the life of a person from birth to death. They are Clotho, the Spinner, who with her distaff spins the thread of human life; Lachesis, the Disposer, who determines the length and course of human life; and Atropos, the Inflexible, who with her shears cuts it off. Homer, however, mentions only one Fate (Moira).

The Moirae ("allotted fate"), or Fates, are regarded as the daughters of Zeus and Themis. The Greeks portrayed them as ugly old women.