Atropos

In Greek mythology, Atropos (Άτροπος, "without turn") was one of the three Moerae, Goddesses of fate and destiny. She was the oldest of the Three Fates, and was known as the "inflexible" or "inevitable." It was Atropos who chose the mechanism of death and ended the life of each mortal by cutting their thread with her "abhorred shears." She worked along with Clotho, who spun the thread, and Lachesis, who measured the length. Her origin, along with the other two fates, is uncertain, although some called them the daughters of the night. It is clear, however, that at a certain period they ceased to be concerned with death and became instead those powers which decided what must happen to individuals. Although Zeus was the chief Greek god and their father, he was still subject to the decisions of the Fates, and thus the executor of destiny rather than its source.Atropos and her sisters were in corporated in Hercules (1997 film) which she was voiced by the Late Paddi Edwards and is know voiced by Tress MacNeille

According to Hesiod's Theogony, Atropos and her sisters (Clotho and Lachesis) were the daughters of Nyx (Night).

Her Roman equivalent was Morta.

The alkaloid extract of the deadly nightshade plant, atropine, is named after her due to its extremely high toxicity.

See also

• Moirai
• Hornblower and the Atropos

Donate to Wikimedia