in heathen mythology, goddesses who were supposed to preside over the accidents and events, and to determine the date or period, of human life. The Parce were three, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos; because, forsooth, all things have their beginning, progress, and end. Hence the poets tell us that the Parce spun the thread of men's lives; that Clotho held the distaff, and drew the thread; that Lachesis twirled the spindle, and spun it; and that Atropos cut it. "Clotho colum retinet, Lachesis net, Atropos secat."

But the ancients represent the Parce differently. Lucian delineates them in the shape of three poor old women, having large locks of wool, mixed with daffodils, on their heads; one of them holding a distaff, the other a wheel, and the third a pair of scissors, wherewith to cut the thread of life. Others represent Clotho as appearing in a long robe of variegated colours, wearing a crown upon her head adorned with seven stars, and holding a distaff in her hand; whilst Lachesis appears in a robe beset with stars, with several spindles in her hand, and Atropos clad in black, cutting the thread with a pair of large scissors. The ancients imagined that the Parce employed white wool for a long and happy life, and black for a short and unfortunate one.