Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-11-14
OUR HOUSEHOLD
CONDUCTED BY LIZZIE c. THOMAS

MYTHOLOGY AND STATUES
Dear Mrs. Thomas:
A friend sent me two pictures. One
l know represents the Three Graces
and is beautiful. / had seen several
copies and recognized it, but the
other fascinates me and I am not
sure that I know its meaning. It
might be three generations, but the
women are too near one generation
for that. The older woman has the
sort Of shears that the ancients
used, she is more like the pictures
we see OF peasant women, the next
is sitting with a lapfull of laurel
leaves and flowers, and has some
In her hand. The one in the middle
Of the group is beautiful, though
none are ugly. She might be youth
but she has a distaff and is han
ding the thread. L want to know
the meaning, please tell us about
it,"
The picture is beautiful. beautiful
ana L am glad that you have It. But
Tor mythology our walls and art
galleries would be almost bare of the
priceless treasures all of us now en-
JOY. II we cannot possess the oripi-
nal we may possess copies, or pic-
lures. The three Fates are, Clotho
Lach-e-sts and At-ro-pos. The world
mas always had to have a reason for
all things, and the encients long he
fore our Christian Era worshined
these imaginary gods and goddesses.
Ctotho, Lachesis and Atropos were
supposed to spin the thread Of hu-
man destiny. They gave rewards and
with those shears they cut Of tho
thread Of life when 1t suited them
You will notice that the shears ara
primitive sort. such as many a
farmer keeps for his mules. In for
elgn countries I have seen and use
that sort. They are all they have in
Japan except those the foreign mis-
slonar1eS take with them. I was as
awkward in using that sort as the
girls were when my American scts.
sors were the only ones for them to
use.
But to return to the Three Fates
those ancient people had sense. even
though they did not always show
their wisdom. These three busy Ia.
dies were daughters of Themis (Law)
and she sat right by Jupiter and
gave him counsel. So YOU sec that
even then 1t took woman to helm
run the affairs Of the world.
There are three other Roddesses
that by secret stings (conscience)
punished crimes committed secretly
They are pictured in many WAYS. hut
a description of them, as they were
when 1bycus was murdered is often
used to picture them-"Clad in black.
pore In THAR f1adhlauu
blazing with pitchy flame, Their
cheeks were bloodless and. in Mace
OF hair, writing and swelling SER
penis curled round their brow"
Here Is their song: Happy the
man who keeps his heart pure from
gullt and crime. Him, we avengers
touch not; he treads the path of life
secure from US. But woe, woe, to
him who has done the deed of secret
murder. We, the fearful family of
nlgnt' rasten ourselves upon his
whole being. Thinks he, by flight
to escape us! We fly still faster
In persutt, Irvine our snak>s around
his feet, and bring him to the ground.
Onwear1ed we persue; no pity checks
our course; still on and on. to the
end Of life, we give him no peace
nor rest"
There is SO much that is beauti-
full in folk lore and it all can be
found in mythology. We read of
the flood in our Bible, and we read
Of the destruction of the world in
almost every book Of folk lore in
heather countries.
God is not dumb, that he should
speak no more. If thou hast wan
behring's in the wilderness and findest
not Sinai. tits thy soul is poor; There
towers the mountain Of the Voice no
less, which who SO seeks shall find;
but he who bends intent on man
ma still, and mortal ends, sees 1t not,
neither hears it's Numbered lore"