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[[File:Les Parques.jpg|thumb|''Les Parques'' ("The Parcae," ca. 1885) by [[Alfred Agache (painter)|Alfred Agache]]]] |
[[File:Les Parques.jpg|thumb|''Les Parques'' ("The Parcae," ca. 1885) by [[Alfred Agache (painter)|Alfred Agache]]]] |
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In [[Roman mythology]], the '''Parcae''' (singular |
In [[Roman mythology]], the '''Parcae''' (singular: '''Parca''') were the female [[personification]]s of [[destiny]]. They are often called the '''Fates''' in [[English language|English]]. Their [[Greek mythology|Greek equivalents]] were the '''[[Moirai]]'''. They controlled the "thread of life" of every [[mortal]] and [[immortal]]. Even the [[deity|gods]] feared the Parcae. |
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The names of the three Parcae were: |
The names of the three Parcae were: |
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* '''[[Nona (mythology)|Nona]]''' (Greek equivalent ''[[Clotho]]''), who spun the thread of life on her [[Spindle (textiles)|spindle]];<ref>John Day, ''God's Conflict With the Dragon and the Sea: Echoes of a Canaanite Myth in the Old Testament'', CUP Archive, 1985, p. 308.</ref> |
* '''[[Nona (mythology)|Nona]]''' (Greek equivalent ''[[Clotho]]''), who spun the thread of life on her [[Spindle (textiles)|spindle]];<ref name="John Day 1985, p. 308">John Day, ''God's Conflict With the Dragon and the Sea: Echoes of a Canaanite Myth in the Old Testament'', CUP Archive, 1985, p. 308.</ref> |
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* '''[[Decima (mythology)|Decima]]''' (Greek ''[[Lachesis (mythology)|Lachesis]]''), who measured the thread of life;<ref |
* '''[[Decima (mythology)|Decima]]''' (Greek ''[[Lachesis (mythology)|Lachesis]]''), who measured the thread of life;<ref name="John Day 1985, p. 308"/> |
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* '''[[Morta (mythology)|Morta]]''' (Greek ''[[Atropos]]''), who cut the thread of life and chose the way a person would die.<ref>L. L. Tels de Jong ''Sur quelques divinites romaines de la naissance et de la prophetie'' 1959, pp. 70–77; 83–85.</ref><ref>P. Ramat "Morta" in ''Archivio glottologico italiano'' 40, 1960, pp. 61–67.</ref><ref>J. H. Waszinsk ''Gnomon'' 34, 1962, p. 445.</ref> |
* '''[[Morta (mythology)|Morta]]''' (Greek ''[[Atropos]]''), who cut the thread of life and chose the way a person would die.<ref>L. L. Tels de Jong ''Sur quelques divinites romaines de la naissance et de la prophetie'' 1959, pp. 70–77; 83–85.</ref><ref>P. Ramat "Morta" in ''Archivio glottologico italiano'' 40, 1960, pp. 61–67.</ref><ref>J. H. Waszinsk ''Gnomon'' 34, 1962, p. 445.</ref> |
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Latest revision as of 06:58, 9 March 2022
In Roman mythology, the Parcae (singular: Parca) were the female personifications of destiny. They are often called the Fates in English. Their Greek equivalents were the Moirai. They controlled the "thread of life" of every mortal and immortal. Even the gods feared the Parcae.
The names of the three Parcae were:
- Nona (Greek equivalent Clotho), who spun the thread of life on her spindle;[1]
- Decima (Greek Lachesis), who measured the thread of life;[1]
- Morta (Greek Atropos), who cut the thread of life and chose the way a person would die.[2][3][4]
The earliest known documents about these deities are three small stelae (cippi). They were found near ancient Lavinium shortly after World War II.[5] They have the inscription:
Neuna fata, Neuna dono, Parca Maurtia dono
The names of two of the three Roman Parcae are recorded (Neuna = Nona, Maurtia = Morta) and connected to the concept of fata.[6]
One of the sources for the Parcae is Metamorphoses by Ovid, II 654, V 532, VIII 452, XV 781.
Related pages
[change | change source]- Norns, equivalent of the Fates in Norse mythology
References
[change | change source]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Moirae.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 John Day, God's Conflict With the Dragon and the Sea: Echoes of a Canaanite Myth in the Old Testament, CUP Archive, 1985, p. 308.
- ↑ L. L. Tels de Jong Sur quelques divinites romaines de la naissance et de la prophetie 1959, pp. 70–77; 83–85.
- ↑ P. Ramat "Morta" in Archivio glottologico italiano 40, 1960, pp. 61–67.
- ↑ J. H. Waszinsk Gnomon 34, 1962, p. 445.
- ↑ G. Dumezil La religion romaine archaique Paris, 1974, part 4, chapt.
- ↑ L. L. Tels De Jong Sur quelques divinites romaines de la naissance et de la prophetie 1959 pp. 67–130.