Rebekah F
Rebekah F asked Kay Solo:

I'm usually good at picking up references in your writing but I'm not as well versed in mythology. In the Fairfield Frightless there are references to the fates and sirens having a shared history and singing together. Is that from something or is that particular to your series?

Kay Solo Yay another question! <3 But yes, this is in reference to something. Specifically it has to do with The Vision of Er from Plato's Republic. In it is mentioned the Spindle of Necessity, which is kind of a means of explaining the movement/orbit of the planets. The sirens and the Fates are both part of the Spindle and are responsible for keeping it moving, and they all sing together as they do. From the text:

"The spindle turns on the knees of Necessity; and on the upper surface of each circle is a siren, who goes round with them, hymning a single tone or note. The eight together form one harmony; and round about, at equal intervals, there is another band, three in number, each sitting upon her throne: these are the Fates, daughters of Necessity, who are clothed in white robes and have chaplets upon their heads, Lachesis and Clotho and Atropos, who accompany with their voices the harmony of the sirens --Lachesis singing of the past, Clotho of the present, Atropos of the future; Clotho from time to time assisting with a touch of her right hand the revolution of the outer circle of the whorl or spindle, and Atropos with her left hand touching and guiding the inner ones, and Lachesis laying hold of either in turn, first with one hand and then with the other."

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