Prometheus defies Zeus to help mankind, but Zeus creates Pandora, the first woman, to bring evil to humanity. She opens a jar, unleashing misery and sickness, leaving only hope inside.
In Greek mythology, Pandora occupies an important place in the story of Prometheus and his challenge to Zeus. Prometheus is a Titan, one of the sons of the Titan Iapetus and the nymph Clymene. Depending on the version of the story, Prometheus is mankind’s mentor or even its creator, along with his brother Epimetheus.
However, in the beginning, humanity was literally “humanity”. That is, it was made up entirely of men. And Prometheus was their champion, working on their behalf against the rule of Zeus. His first act for mankind was to trick Zeus into choosing the least valuable part of the ox, a choice that was made once, but lasted forever. In retaliation, Zeus withheld the knowledge of starting fire from mankind.
Prometheus was not happy with this decision and stole fire to give to man, hiding it in a stalk of fennel as he brought it from Heaven to Earth, or stealing it from the forge of the god Hephaestus, depending on which version you read. Then Prometheus started teaching mankind how to do all kinds of things. And it is at this point that Pandora enters the story, with the greatest detail given by Hesiod in Works and Days.
Zeus was furious and plotted a clever revenge to destroy humanity. He had Hephaestus model Pandora, the first woman, in clay. Athena brought her back to life and her gods gave her gifts to make her irresistibly attractive. Athena teaches her trades, Hermes gives her word and her cunning, and Aphrodite gives her grace. And she was called Pandora, which means “all-giving.”
Zeus armed Pandora with a sealed vessel that contained every possible evil and evil that could beset humans. Knowing that Prometheus was too clever to have anything to do with Pandora, Zeus sent her to Epimetheus. And despite Prometheus’ warning that he should never accept any gift from Zeus, Epimetheus welcomed Pandora. And then Pandora opened the jar.
Out they poured sickness and hardship and misery, with nothing left inside the jar but hope. And, according to Hesiod, the moral of Pandora’s story is that there is no escape from the will of Zeus.
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