Lachesis (mythology)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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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 Moirai - Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. Normally seen clothed in white, Lachesis is the measurer of the thread woven by Clotho's spindle, and in some texts, determines Destiny, or thread of life. 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.
Origin
According to Hesiod's Theogony, she and her sisters (Atropos and Clotho) are the daughters of Nyx (Night) and Erebus. 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.
Other sources site that the three are daughters from Zeus and Themus. They are also named Klotho, Lachesis and Atropos - associated with weavers and spinners of human destiny.
In popular culture
- Lachesis, along with Clotho and Atropos, is one of the 'little bald doctors' in Insomnia by Stephen King.
- Lachesis, along with Clotho and Atropos, is one of the personifications of Fate in Piers Anthony's fantasy novel With a Tangled Skein, part of his Incarnations of Immortality series.
- Lachesis, Clotho and Atropos are major characters in the pantheon of The Five Star Stories, androids with mysterious properties imbued in them by an engineer who's abilities are unparalleled in the story's galaxy. Lachesis is the second-most-powerful figure in the galaxy at the time, second only to her husband The Emperor of Light Amaterasu (name drawn from the Shinto pantheon). Her role at numerous points in the story is central to the mythological content of the story, and reminiscent of her role in the original Greek texts.
- The 3 fates also appear in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Percy sees three old ladies in a fruit stand, knitting a very large sock. Then one snips the yarn and Percy's destiny is decided. When she cut the string, it meant that someone was going to die.
- Lachesis (spelled "Lahkesis" in-game), like the other two Moirai, is depicted in the video game God of War II as one of the final bosses.
- Lachesis is a spaceship class in the MMORPG EVE-Online known as Combat Recon Ship.
- Lachesis is the name of one of the assassins in Matt Amerling's novel The Midknight.
- Lachesis and her sisters play an important role in Kelly McCullough's Ravirn book series. The protagonist, Ravirn calls her grandmother. In reality she is the godly ancestor and the matriarch of the House Ravirn was born into. The Fates are also one of the main powers in the books' universe.
- In popular music "Lachesis" is the solo piano second movement of the piece "The Three Fates" from Emerson, Lake and Palmer's eponymous first album.
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- In Achron, Lachesis is an Omega Class AI who started a massive war on Earth after becoming involved with its politics.
- In Golden Sun: The Lost Age, the Lachesis' Rule is a powerful staff available towards the end of the game.
- The computer peripheral company Razer produces an amphicheiral gaming mouse under the brand name Lachesis.