Triad

A **Triad**, a **Trio** or a **Trinity**, is a concept very present in the mythologies of the world that refers to three entities that exist as a single deity, with the three being together the greatest power in the entire universe.

## Overview

It is a recurring motive across theologies and mythologies across the world, which are usually grouping of three supernatural beings such as deities, angels, demons or other beings. The concept of a Trinity governing Creation is omnipresent in various world religions, arguably the most famous are the Trimurti with Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, or the Holy Trinity with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In Gnosticism the main trinity is the Silent Unknown Parent, The Ineffable Mother and the self-generated Son, Father, Mother and Son.

A triad were usually not considered to be one in the same being, or different aspects of a single entity as in a Trinity or a Triple deity. Triads of three closely associated deities were commonly found throughout the ancient world, and in particular in the religious traditions of Ancient Greece and Egypt.

## Description

The prevalence of three individuals in a group is most likely not supernatural in concept, and moreso psychological on the part of humans. Any group that has five, seven, or anything above three gets condensed down to three of the most important individuals. For example, when Lucifer fell from Heaven and the group of five Archangels dropped to four (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel) people were insistent that Michael, Gabriel and Raphael were a triad of their own. The only reason they aren't is because the three angels considered Uriel just as important as them, and so thusly stayed four.

## Notable Triads

### Abrahamic

* Holy Trinity: Jehovah, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit
* Gnostic Trinity: Bythos, Barbelo and the Autogenes
* Kabbalistic Trinity: Ain, Ain Sof and Ain Sof Ohr
* Higher Emanations Trinity: Keter, Chokhmah and Binah
* Maternal Trinity: Virgin Mary (Mother), Eve (Wife) and Beatrice (Bride)
* Primordial Beast Triad: Leviathan, Behemoth and Ziz
* Anti-Trinity: Satan, Sin, and Death
* Profane Trinity: Satan, The Beast from the Sea, and The Beast from the Earth
* Unholy Trinity: The Dragon, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet
* Evil Trinity: Lucifer, Beelzebub, and Astaroth/Satan
* Eastern Demon Triad: Beleth, Sitri, and Yomyael
* Infernal Beast Trinity: Samael, Eisheth Zenunim, and the Goat
* Lucifuge's Triad: Bael, Agares and Marbas
* Agaliarept's Triad: Buer, Gusion and Botis
* Fleurety's Triad: Bathin, Purson and Eligos
* Sargatanas's Triad: Morax, Leraje, and Valefor
* Grigori Trinity: Satanael, Azazel, and Samyaza

### Greek

* Greek Big Three: Zeus, Hades and Poseidon
* Greek Olympic Triad: Zeus, Athena, and Apollo
* Delican Chief Triad: Leto, Artemis, and Apollo
* Eleusinian Mystery Triad: Demeter, Persephone, and Triptolemus/Hecate
* Moirai: Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos
* Erinyes: Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone

### Roman

* Capitoline Triad: Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva
* Aventine Triad: Ceres, Liber, and Proserpina
* Parcae: Nona, Decuma, and Morta

### Egyptian

* Osirian/Abydos Triad: Osiris, Isis, and Horus
* Thebian Triad: Amun, Mut, and Khonsu
* Memphite Triad: Ptah, Sekhmet, and Nefertem
* Elephantine Triad: Khnum, Satet, and Anuket

### Mesopotamian

* Principal Triad: Anu, Enlil and Enki
* Star Triad: Suen, Ishtar, Shamash
* Babylonian Bel Triad: Marduk, Ellil and Tammuz

### Norse

* Primordial Aesir Triad: Odin, Vili, and Vé
* Aesir-Vanir Triad: Odin, Thor, and Freyr
* Tacitus Triad: Wodan, Donar and Tyr
* Norns: Urd, Verdandi and Skuld
* Loki's children: Jormungandr, Fenrir, and Hel

### Hinduism

* Trimurti: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
* Tridevi: Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati
* Trimudevi: Brahman, Ātman and Shakti

### Finnish

* Kalevala Hero Triad: Wainamoinen, Ilmarinen, and Lemminkäinen

### Prussian-Baltic

* Romuva Triad: Perkunas, Potrimpo, and Peckols

### Other Cultures

* Three Wise Monkeys: Mizaru, Kikazaru, Iwazaru
* Meccan Triad: Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Manat
* Ahuric Triad: Ahura Mazda, Mithra and Apam Napat
* Armenian Triad: Aramazd, Anahit and Vahagn

### Lovecraftian

* Deep One Triad: Cthulhu, Dagon, and Mother Hydra

### Other

* Prime Triad: God, Khaos, and Azathoth
* The Cycle: Death, Life, and Father Time
* Trinity of Origins: The Shadow, Mother Night and Ycnágnnisssz
* Prime Evil Triad: Dul'Mephistos, Tor'Baalos, and Al'Diabalos
* Children of Sparda: Dante, Vergil, and Beatrice
* Female Devil Hunter Trio: Trish, Lady, and Lucia
* Apprentices of Sparda: Baul, Modeus, and Lilyn
* Sons of Argus: Taven, Daegon, and Rain
* Three Legendary Warriors: Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, and Gran Dynasty
* The Trinity of the Red Court: Scarlet King, Hanged King, and Bobble the Clown

## Quotes

* *"Three... three's the magic number."* - Dante.

* *"Yesh wished to fill the vastness of time and space with other things, and so Yesh separated into three manifestations: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Yesh is both the three manifestations of itself, and also a single entity unto itself. Yesh knows no limitations, and He may be whatever He choose to be."* - Angelic Writings.

* *"Three is a perfect number. For the Greeks it is a number of magical powers, associated with their gods. Several important aspects of our existence are summarized in three points. Time is past, present and future. The universe is width, height and depth. Atoms, the foundation of the entire universe is formed by electrons, protons and neutrons. Positive, negative and neutral. Even God is Three, He is Father, Son and Holy Spirit."* - Mary Magdalene.

## Image Sources

* (the\_three\_by\_ashpwright\_dde4287-fullview.jpg) The Three by ashpwright