Pandora-The First Woman of Greek Mythology

Pandora is considered the first woman from Greek mythology. He is also a figure who is held responsible for unleashing all the evils of humanity into the world as an instrument of Zeus' wrath. Pandora was also an earth goddess who had no relatives in the early Greek pantheon.

Pandora - A Punishment Tool

The name Pandora means "gifts" and "everything". According to what is mentioned in Hesiod's (and perhaps even concocted) Theogonia and Works and Days, Zeus told Hephaestus to create the first woman, Pandora, from earth and water. Zeus' intention was to punish the guilty Prometheus, who had stolen fire from the gods and given it to humanity, using the beautiful and lovable Pandora as a tool.

Before leaving, Pandora was given a series of divine gifts by each of the Olympian gods. Athena taught him all the fine crafts and dressed him in silvery dresses. Aphrodite gave grace and tools so that she could create a great craving, and Hermes gave herself "the mind of a dog and a thieving character" and "lies and deceitful words" on her chest.

If that wasn't enough, Pandora was crowned with a magnificent gold headband made by Hephaestus, the Goddesses of the Seasons were given wreaths of spring flowers, and she was adorned with fine jewels by the Graces. Finally, Pandora was given a large storage jar to descend to Earth, which she was told she should never open under any circumstances.

Pandora's Box: The Evils of the World

Guided by Hermes, Pandora was sent to Epimetheus, Prometheus' brother. Foolishly forgetting her sister's advice never to accept a gift from the gods, the beautiful Pandora was entertained at Epimetheus' home, after which the two were married. They had a daughter named Pyrrha.

One day, she had fulfilled her destiny, Pandora, overcome by her curiosity, opened the lid of the jar and unleashed all the evil on the world. Among these dreadful things were sickness, war, immorality, labor and the need to work for sustenance.

Realizing her mistake, Pandora quickly closed the lid back on, but it was too late, and there was only one thing left inside the jar stuck to the rim of the jar—Hope—so that somehow humanity could endure its sudden and eternal misfortune.

"Hope" is the traditional translation from the Greek, but may actually be better represented by "anticipation," which includes the expectation of both good and bad events. With this punishment, Zeus thus repaid the theft of fire and restored the eternal division between gods and humans.