The main benefit of writing my posts on the fly, is flexibility. I had planned on fairies today, and they would make an interesting addition to my fantasy squad, but I wanted something completely different. As we had elves yesterday, and fairies are closely linked in folklore, I opted for (the) Fates – the three sisters known as the Moirai.
Zeus and Themis are credited as being the parents of the Moirai: Clotho – spins the thread of life; Lachesis – measures the thread of life (determines the length), and Atropos – cuts the thread.
Although Zeus was the supreme ruler, he was also subject to the three Fates (he didn’t have complete control). The sisters were said to be superior even to the greatest of gods.
The Fates in Literature and Film
In Macbeth, the three witches, whose identity was not revealed, were probably a reference to the Fates – given the visions, and predictions of the future. They are referred to several times as the ‘weird sisters’ which can be translated into the Old English term meaning ‘fate.’
Homer referred to the Fates in Odyssey – combining them into a single force determined by the gods.
Disney’s Hercules included the Fates – three sister’s who shared one eye, which they used to predict the future. They also appeared in the animated television series. These sisters were reminiscent of the Graeae from Greek mythology (the sisters of Gorgons).
I’m sure there are other examples, and if you know of other references to the Fates in literature, I’d love to hear about them. But I guess I’m curious about how you would translate the myth into modern fantasy. The Fates held enormous responsibility, and with great power…you get my drift!
What might they look like? How would they form part of a fantasy squad? Perhaps as one being, able to heal and raise people from the dead. There would be consequences, both internal and external. It would be a lot of fun, and its own kind of power, to decide what those consequences would be!
With or without the sisters, my squad is shaping into a formidable team! Thanks for stopping by.
Mel
Melissa Barker-Simpson 
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