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The Three Witches

The Three Witches. …An Interlude. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzTYLWArvjY. Back in the Day. The Greek Moirai The Roman Parcae , or Fata The Germanic Norns. The Greek Girls. Clotho was responsible for spinning the thread of life on her spindle.

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The Three Witches

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  1. The Three Witches …An Interlude http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzTYLWArvjY

  2. Back in the Day • The Greek Moirai • The Roman Parcae, or Fata • The Germanic Norns

  3. The Greek Girls • Clotho was responsible for spinning the thread of life on her spindle. • Lachesis measured each life thread as long as it was supposed to be, which was determined by the sisters. • Atropos, Lady of the Shears, determined how a person would die and would then cut the thread. She was immobile in her choice; she had an inability to second-guess herself

  4. The Roman Girls • Nona (Italian for Grandmother) was in charge of the spinning. • Decima (…like decimal? Hmmm) was there to measure. • Parcae cut each thread. Pronounced [par-kay].

  5. The Germanic Girls • Urd (fate) • Verdani (necessity) • Skuld (being) • They did their work at the base (in the roots) of the World Tree Yggdrasil in the realm of Asgard. • In these myths, the three were in charge of simply slowing the aging/rotting process by feeding the roots with magical mud. Each “life” was a root for them to tend.

  6. T.B.S.A.G.R. • Ergo… • Our word “cloth” comes from Clotho. • Lachesis is today either associated with Homeopathy, or is one of the best gaming mice (mouses?) you can buy. • Atropa (fr.Atropos) is Greek for deadly nightshade.

  7. …And Embellished • Moira/Moirai: not an immortal, but a mysterious, tremendous power; stronger than the gods themselves • Scorn fate and you bring on Nemesis (translates as righteous anger) with her consequence • Homer told us that they are a fearsome immortal triumvirate, but separate one from the trio, and they will separately wither and die • Hesiod said that they can only ascend to Mount Olympus when all men have finally become completely wicked

  8. Milquetoast Happens • “Fate” is also the root of the word fae • Translates as “That which has been spoken,” implying a pre-pronounced destiny (everyone from Zeus to Pandora adds their two cents) • 320 AD: Roman Empire converts to Christianity and the old myths quickly became fireside tales • Tales about the gods were diluted until they became the fae, an invisible but present race (gnomes, fairies, gremlins, goblins, trolls, etc.)

  9. Chicken or Egg? • Is our life more of a fate-driven path, or do we have absolute free will? • Was Macbeth evil because he was evil, or did the Witches plant that idea in his head, making him thus? • What do you think of when I tell you not to think about the color red?

  10. References • Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New American Library, Boston. 1942. • Evslin, Bernard. Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of the Greek Myths. Bantam, NY. 1966. • Warren, Rex (Fwd). Encyclopedia of World Mythology. Galahad, NY. 1975.

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