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In Greek mythology, Lachesis (also Lakhesis, Greek: Λάχεσις, English: "disposer of lots", Etymology: λαγχάνω - to obtain by lot, by fate, or by the will of the gods) was the second of the Three Fates, or Moirae. Her Roman equivalent was Decima.

Lachesis was the apportioner, deciding how much time for life was to be allowed for each person or being ^[1] . She measured the thread of life with her rod. She is also said to choose a person's destiny after a thread was measured. In mythology, it is said that she appears with her sisters within three days of a baby's birth to decide its fate.

[edit] Origin

According to Hesiod's Theogony, she and her sisters (Atropos and Clotho) are the daughters of Nyx (Night). In other accounts, they are said to be the daughters of Zeus and Themis as well as several other beings such as Chaos and Ananke. Lachesis is also mentioned in the tenth book of the Republic of Plato as the daughter of Necessity. She instructs the souls who are about to choose their next life, assign them lots, and presents them all of the kinds, human and animal, from which they may choose their next life.

[edit] Appearance

In paintings and hories, Lachesis is often portrayed as a matronly woman; however, also often depicted (along with her sisters) beautiful and powerful.

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Theogony

v • d • e Time in religion and mythology Major subjects Time — Cosmology · Religion · Mythology — Eternity · Arguments for eternity · Immortality Ritual · Religious festival · New moon — Destiny and fate · Predestination · Prophecy · Oracle · Divination · Eschatology · Millennialism Time Portal Time and fate deities of antiquity Egyptian — Hemsut · Huh Ancient Near East — Ashima · Ishtar · Mamitu · Mammetun · Manah · Manu the Great · Meni Greek — The Fates: Moirae — Atropos · Clotho · Lachesis Ananke · Geras · Horae · Kairos · Khronos · Tyche Roman — The Fates: Parcae — Decima · Morta · Nona Camenae: Antevorte/Porrima · Carmenta · Egeria · Postverta Aeternitas · Anna Perenna · Caerus · Chronos · Fortuna · Vertumnus Etruscan — Nortia · Tinia Norse — Norns (Urðr · Verðandi · Skuld) Day: (Dagr · Skinfaxi) · Night: (Nótt · Hrímfaxi) · Seasons: (Sumarr and Vetr) · Old age: Elli Baltic — Dalia · Lauma Polish — Sudz Romanian — Fates: Ursitoare Other European — Matres and Matrones · Father Time · Beten Philippine — Kan-Laon Hinduism Kalpa · Manvantara · Yuga · Kāla (time) · Hindu calendar · Hindu units of measurement  · Kali Buddhism Wheel of time · Kalachakra · Maitreya · Uposatha Judaism Ancient of Days · Ein Sof · Hebrew calendar · Missing years · Jewish holidays · Passover · Shabbat · Shabbaton · Shmita Christianity Byzantine calendar · Gregorian calendar · Liturgical year · Sabbath in Christianity · Sabbath in seventh-day churches · Easter · Computus · Moveable feast · Easter controversy · Quartodecimanism · Reform of the date of Easter · Day of the Vow Islam Islamic calendar · Jumu'ah · Muslim holidays · Predestination in Islam Other traditions Babylonian calendar · Pentecontad calendar · Dreamtime / The Dreaming · Oracle bone · Maya calendar Related topics Week-day names

[edit] References

1. ^ Hamilton, Edith (1942). Mythology, p. 49. Little, Brown and Company, Boston. ISBN 978-0316341141