Pandora, (Greek: "All-Gifts") in Greek mythology, the first woman. According to Hesiod's Theogony, after Prometheus, a fire god and divine trickster, had stolen fire from heaven and bestowed it upon mortals, Zeus, the king of the gods, determined to counteract this blessing.
The Pandora myth is a kind of theodicy, addressing the question of why there is evil in the world. According to this, Pandora opened a jar (pithos) (commonly referred to as "Pandora's box") releasing all the evils of humanity. Hesiod's interpretation of Pandora's story went on to influence both Jewish and Christian theology and so perpetuated her bad reputation into the Renaissance. Later poets, dramatists, painters and sculptors made her their subject and over the course of five centuries contributed new insights into her motives and significance.
Zeus ordered Hephaestus, the god of the forge, to create Pandora, the first woman. The gods gave her many traits including beauty, curiosity, charm, and cleverness. Hence her name "Pandora," meaning "all gifted" or, alternately, "a gift to all."
With the jar in hand, Pandora was given in marriage to Epimetheus, Prometheus' brother, who accepted the divine gift despite his brother's warnings to never take a gift from Olympian Zeus.
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Greek mythology
Historical FictionThis is about all the Greek myths and monsters. Gods and goddesses too. Everything you want or need to know about every god and goddess or every mythical story is in this.
