INTRODUCTION 



In the days of myths in ancient Greece men talked about 

 three Fates who were sisters. And in Rome an artist 1 

 painted these sis- 

 ters as they were 

 supposed to be 

 three old women 

 in a group, con- 

 trolling the des- 

 tiny of every 

 human being. 



As they stand 

 together in the pic- 

 ture they neither 

 weep nor smile ; 

 they show neither 

 joy nor sorrow, 

 neither hope nor 

 despair. Each is 

 working, watch- 

 ing, waiting. 



Clotho is the 



youngest sister. THE THREE FATES 



She holds the 



distaff which carries the thread of life. This thread begins to 



lengthen when the baby is born. Lachesis, the second sister, 



1 Supposed to have been Michelangelo. 



