FATE

fate, in roman mythology, the spoken word (_fatum_) of jupiter, the unalterable will of heaven. the plural (_fata_, the fates) was used for the "destinies" of individuals or cities, and then for the three goddesses who controlled them. thus, fata scribunda were the goddesses who wrote down a man's destiny at his birth. in this connexion, however, fata may be singular, the masculine and feminine _fatus_, _fata_, being the usual forms in popular and ceremonial language. the fates were also called parcae, the attributes of both being the same as those of the greek moerae.