In mythology, there are three characters known as The Fates and we can also find these within the asteroid listings. Below I have listed the names of the Fates along with their corresponding asteroid number and spelling where relevant.
Clotho (the Spinner) – 92 (Klotho)
Lachesis (the Allotter) – 120
Atropos (the Inflexible) – 273
The above Fates are from Greek mythology however we also have the Norns from Norse mythology too :-
Urdr – 167 (Urda)
Verdandi – 621 (Werdandi)
Skuld – 1130
To be clear, the Romans had their trio too, namely, Nona, Decima and Morta however these have not found their way into the asteroids – yet. For the purposes of this post, I will be writing about the Greek Fates as these are the asteroids/entities/archetypes that I am familiar with and who regularly appear on my astrological charts. But I think we could possibly apply their teachings to the Norse Fates as well but there is certainly room for experimentation, study and observation there. As I am not as familiar with Norse mythology, I don’t want to assume anything.
The collective term for the Greek Fates is Moirai. Moirai means ‘lots, destinies or apportioners’. Asteroid Moira 638 is named after this. Generally speaking, the three sisters, the Fates, are considered to be the personification of ‘destiny’. Some stories suggest that their power is even above the Gods although there are instances of Zeus interfering with their work. Lineage varies but I’m personally drawn to the idea that they were the daughters of Zeus and Themis (Goddess of Divine Law and Order). That would also perhaps explain why only Dad is listed as being able to over-rule them! However, there is also another story which suggests that their mother is Ananke ‘necessity’. She is often depicted as a spinner who holds the cosmos itself in natural order. Whichever way we look at it, there is a sense that the Fates are ‘beyond’. They cannot be negotiated with. The phrase ‘it is what it is’ comes to mind.
I guess at this point, maybe it’s important to address what I think of as ‘fate’ as many of us have different ideas of what this might mean. Looking at charts and watching how astrology plays out for almost four decades has certainly informed my idea of whether or not we have free will – because of course that is the inevitable question that arrives at our door when we consider the word ‘fate’.
When we think of fate, typically we think of something that is preordained, inescapable, something that is already set in motion and cannot be avoided. My personal belief is that our astrological chart describes our framework, the lessons for this lifetime. I believe we move through countless lifetimes, each one seeking to explore further than the last, seeking to improve, to understand, to experience, to gather wisdom. Naturally then, there are some ‘structures’ in place to contain and define that experience, that lifetime. Perhaps this is what we would call the fate. We may meet (or reconnect with) certain souls, desire to live in certain places, decide to have certain kinds of experiences or develop certain skills. I don’t believe personally that anyone comes here with the intention to harm another or to be the victim or such harm, but those experiences too shape us and teach us, difficult as they are. All that said, there is a growing faction within science that suggests we have no free-will whatsoever (see this mind boggling but fascinating article) which would weirdly put them on the side of possibly being able to predict the future…wouldn’t it? But I digress. Whatever we chose to believe, the Fates tap us into all these ideas, philosophies and enquiries and ask us to explore our own meaning to them.
Returning to the myths, Clotho is the one who spins the thread of life. It is Clotho who decides when we are born, and she also was tasked with deciding who lives or dies (or who is brought back to life!). Clotho was also instrumental in bringing the alphabet to humankind along with Hermes – something we don’t hear about very often. In my own chart, I have Klotho in Leo in my 1st house, trine my Midheaven and Venus. I wonder if she has a part to play in my writing – probably! With her connection to the alphabet and her ability to decide what will come to pass, it makes me think of words of power, spells, incantations, chants – words by which we bring things into being. I think therefore I am! In the beginning was the word…
On more than one occasion, I have found Clotho significant in someone’s chart who is in fact a maker of clothes, one person actually owning a spinning wheel! Knitting too seems to be popular with this asteroid. Julia Roberts for example has Klotho in Leo in her 1st house and is often seen knitting and wearing knitted items. Sally Field has Klotho in her 12th house, widely conjunct her Ascendant, sextile her 10th house Pluto and conjunct her 12th house Neptune. A character Sally played was part of a knitting club. In an interview she said she was the only one of all the actors who could actually knit. Neptune is associated with film. Perhaps we could say that Clotho has a connection with the idea of creativity, creation, origins and originality.
Lachesis is the one who measures the thread (which tells us how long the life is). Given her association with ‘measurement’, Lachesis can sometimes come into play in people’s charts who are focused on measurements – for example those who are drafts people and architects. Plato said it was Lachesis also decided upon which ‘genius’ to bring with us to help guide us to our destiny in life. For ‘genius’, read daemon/demon or spiritual ally. Sometimes, I have seen Lachesis come up when someone has found a ‘helper’, either in the physical world or in the spiritual.
My own Lachesis sits at 3 Aries in my 8th house. She’s conjunct Chiron and in my life, I have been blessed to have found many healers, some physical healers but also spiritual healers who have taught me much. When I was younger, I trained in Reiki and also in shamanic healing methods. My teachers were amazing people. But then there are also the spiritual allies, the deep and profound connection I have to horses (Chiron as a centaur has an obvious connection to the horse) and the reason why my name is as it is. A drive past the White Horse of Uffington when I was around 9 years old set off a chain of events that led me to where I am today. Asteroid Minerva is also conjunct Lachesis. I work with the Goddess Athena and have been nicknamed ‘owl’ in the past. Indeed owls have come to me many times, again starting from when I was very young. Asteroid Robinhood is also here and the legends of Robin Hood were instrumental in my faith and practice. The TV series Robin of Sherwood made a huge impact upon me and led me to discover the God Herne and the Pagan path.
Finally, out of interest, asteroid Johanna is also conjunct my Chiron and therefore feeding into the story with Lachesis and she is named for Joan of Arc, another character that made a marked impact on me as a child. I watched the old movie when I was about 5 years old and to this day, I can still remember crying because no one believed Joan had visions and could commune with God. I most certainly couldn’t understand exactly what was going on at such a young age, but I DO remember understanding that she was different and saw things that others could not see and that she was punished for that. It feels like some kind of foreshadowing of my own life in many ways. In my case the ‘punishment’ was fear, internalised by the rejection of my experiences of ‘seeing things’ from my parents and others. It’s fascinating to look at this part of the story of Lachesis and it really speaks to me.
The last Fate, Atropos, was the one who cut the thread of life, typically seen as ‘death’. Her name by the way means ‘without turn’ or ‘Inflexible One’. She cannot be turned from her duty, reasoned with, argued with, changed. There is no bargaining with Atropos. In practice, Atropos can literally speak of physical inflexibility but more often alludes to mental/emotional inflexibility. Her place in our chart can indicate where we ‘will not budge!’ Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing will depend on the nature of the story.
I need to do much more research but I’m also going to posit the idea that perhaps Atropos may be active in the charts of murderers (clearly the most shadowy expression of this asteroid!). I just looked at a few charts – Charles Manson began killing when transiting Saturn conjoined his progressed Atropos in the 1st house. Myra Hindley killed children and her Atropos was conjunct youthful Mercury. Jürgen Bartsch, also a killer of children (and victim of serious abuse himself) had Atropos conjunct natal Pluto. Ted Bundy had Atropos exactly trine his Moon and conjunct Pluto. So yes, there may well be a pattern there. Positively, Atropos can perhaps show us what needs to be released.
I think working with the asteroid Fates, like all the asteroids, is an unfolding story as we are still learning how they work and what they mean for us in modern times. There is much more to the stories and use in practice than I can pack into this article, but I hope at least these thoughts and ideas offer a starting point.
One particular idea really captures my imagination, the idea of each Fate being linked to past, present and future. This is only something that I have recently thought about and my initial thought was that Clotho would be about the past, Lachesis the present and Atropos the future. However, in Plato’s book ‘Republic’, he says “Lachesis sings the things that were, Clotho the things that are, and Atropos the things that are to be”.
Perhaps then, we could say that Lachesis shows us where a song of the past can still be heard. Clotho shows us where we need to place our attention in this lifetime and Atropos shows us what we are moving towards as an unavoidable life lesson (unavoidable doesn’t necessarily mean it is something terrible by the way – more that it is something we have chosen to incorporate in this lifetime).
So, for me, my 8th house Lachesis shows me that there are (karmic) echoes of the past that involve trust, the nature of power and occult/mysteries. I can certainly relate to all these things. Klotho in Leo in my 1st house makes me think that I need to be really present with myself and my creativity. Klotho has taken the threads of all my lifetimes and brought me to this moment. The past is my present. Now I need to learn to take risks, show what I can do, learn to be in the spotlight (also echoed by a Leo Ascendant!). This is a lifetime about gaining confidence and letting my light shine. And Atropos in Taurus in my 10th house, maybe this is about my work and I can honestly say the universe has kicked me so hard in this direction multiple times! Every time I tried to do something else, it never worked out. I also have asteroid Moira here too – like the three Fates ganging up on me and saying, you WILL do this for a living Leah! And also, how apt too because of course, much of my actual work is about analysing our ‘fate’ so to speak. Also, I think about how I have also had to learn a lot about being comfortable in my own skin, in this body, how indeed flexibility, or rather the lack of it (!) has caused me a lot of physical problems that are evident to others (the 10th house is a very public house and I walk with a severe limp). So yes, all these things relate but as I write, I think there is no doubt more in these stories. It’s a taster, a few ideas to get you thinking about your own placements.
Painting – The Three Fates’ by Bernardo Strozzi
