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Clotho (/ˈkloʊθoʊ/ ⓘ;Greek:Κλωθώ) orKlotho, is a mythological figure. She was one of theThree Fates orMoirai. In ancient Greek mythology, she spins the thread of human life while her sisters draw out (Lachesis) and cut (Atropos) the thread. She is generally considered the youngest of the three Fates, although in some later sources, such as GiovanniBoccaccio’sGenealogia Deorum Gentilium, she is described as the eldest among the Moirai.[1] She also made major decisions, such as when a person was born, thus in effect controlling people's lives. This power enabled her not only to choose who was born, but also to decide when deities or mortals were to be saved or put to death. For example, ClothoresurrectedPelops when his father killed him. Her Roman equivalent isNona.
As one of the three fates, her influence in Greek mythology was significant. Along with her sisters andHermes, Clotho was given credit for creating the alphabet for their people. Even though Clotho and her sisters were worshiped as goddesses, their representation offate is more central to their role in mythology. Thread represented human life and her decisions represented the fate of all people in society.
Although there does not seem to be an epic tale in Classical Greek mythology in which the Fates are the main focus, they have played critical roles in the lives of deities and mortals. It is likely that the versions of myths about their primal origins were lost in the transitions from prehistoric Greek mythology to that of the Classical writings.According toHesiod'sTheogony, Clotho and her sisters (Atropos andLachesis) were the daughters ofNyx (Night), without the assistance of a father.[2] Later in the same work (ll. 901-906) they are said to have been born ofZeus andThemis. Clotho is mentioned in the tenth book of theRepublic ofPlato as the daughter ofNecessity, as well.
In Roman mythology, it was believed that Clotho was the daughter ofUranus andGaia.
InGenealogia Deorum Gentilium, the Italian Renaissance writerGiovanni Boccaccio wrote thatClotho was the eldest daughter and the eldest sister of theMoirai. Clotho,Lachesis andAtropos, as previously mentioned in the section on the Dispute, were daughters ofDemogorgon.Cicero, however, calls them the Parcae in De Natura Deorum, where he states that they were daughters ofErebus andNight. It seems preferable, however, to followTheodontius, who affirms that they were created together with the nature of things. Elsewhere, where Cicero speaks of the Parca in the singular, he also calls her the daughter of Erebus and Night.Seneca, in his letters toLucilius, also calls them the Parcae, citing the saying ofCleanthes: “The Fates lead those who are willing and drag those who are unwilling.” In this, he describes not only their office that is, to guide all living beings but also to compel them, as if all things occurred by necessity. Clotho was responsible for spinning the thread of life, beginning each mortal’s existence.[3]
As one of the Three Fates, Clotho participated in creating the alphabet with Hermes, forced the goddessAphrodite into making love with other gods, weakened the monsterTyphon with poison fruit, persuaded Zeus to kill Asclepius with a bolt of lightning, and aided the deities in their war with theGiants by killing Agrius and Thoas with bronze clubs.
Clotho also used her life-giving powers in the myth ofTantalus, the man who had slain and prepared his sonPelops for a dinner party with the deities. When the deities had discovered what Tantalus had done, they put the remaining pieces of Pelops in a cauldron. Clotho brought him back to life, with the exception of a shoulder that had been eaten byDemeter and therefore, was replaced by a chunk of ivory. Clotho was worshiped in many places in Greece as one of the Three Fates and is sometimes associated with the Keres and Erinyes, which are other deity groups in Greek mythology.
Ariadne is similar to Clotho in that she carries a ball of thread, much like Clotho's spindle.
Clotho, along with her sisters, was tricked into becoming intoxicated byAlcestis. Alcestis, who had two children with Admetus, became extremely saddened when Admetus became very sick and eventually died. Alcestis used Clotho's drunkenness to try to get her husband back. The Three Fates explained that if a replacement for Admetus could be found, then he could be released from the Underworld. A substitute was not found so Alcestis offered herself up to be the replacement in order to bring her husband back to life. As the agreement had been met, Alcestis quickly began to grow sick and sank into her grave as Admetus came back to life. At the last instant,Heracles arrived at the home of Admetus. WhenThanatos came to take Alcestis away, Heracles wrestled him and forced him to return Alcestis, allowing Admetus and Alcestis to be reunited.
A tale in which the Fates played an integral part was that ofMeleager and the Brand, whichW. H. D. Rouse describes inGods, Heroes and Men of Ancient Greece. Meleager led a hunting party to slay theCalydonian Boar, which was set loose upon Calydon byArtemis. She was displeased at the Calydonian king for neglecting to make a proper sacrifice to her. After slaying the boar, Meleager presented the skin to a woman present at the party namedAtalanta, with whom he was smitten. His uncles were also part of the adventurous group, and they were upset by Meleager's gift to Atalanta. They believed a woman should not have the skin of the boar. As a result of this disagreement, Meleager slew his uncles, who were his mother's brothers. She was so enraged that she decided to take vengeance upon him. She remembered a visit that the Fates had made a week after Meleager was born. A Fate told Althaia that her son's life would expire when the burning log in the fireplace ceased to flame. She promptly extinguished the flames, preserved the log and hid it safely. In her rage over the loss of her brothers, she lit the log to punish Meleager. As the log was consumed in flame, Meleager burned to death.
The dictionary definition ofClotho at Wiktionary
Media related toClotho (mythology) at Wikimedia Commons
Works related toTheogony at Wikisource
