This MA thesis examines the conceptual evolution and respective roles of the goddesses of fate — the Moirai and the Parcae — within the ancient literary tradition and their representations on the Roman sarcophagi depicting Meleager dating from the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE. The first part traces the concept of fate starting from the early Greek sources (such as Homer and Hesiod) and subsequently focuses on both its philosophical interpretations in Plato’s cosmological theory and the inexorable fate's prominence in Stoic thought; the chapter concludes with the discussion of literary variations on the theme and their mythological implications during the Roman period. Particular focus is placed on the transformation of the Moirai into the Parcae stressing the shift in their conceptualization from the primeval chthonic deities to personifications of fate and guardians of the cosmic order. Seeking to elucidate Parcae's symbolic functions and their psychological impact on the intended viewer within the
funerary context, the thesis' second part discusses the iconography of Fates with particular emphasis on the Roman sarcophagi depicting the Death of Meleager. Bearing witness to the Romans' understanding of death as part of the predetermined natural order, the goddesses' presence in these multi-figure scenes transcends the mere narrative level of the depicted myth. The present comparative study of the most relevant literary and visual evidence thus aims to shed further light on the ancient Greeks' and Romans' understanding of the interrelatedness of fate, free will and death.
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