In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from Mount Olympus for humanity before Pandora appeared.
Prometheus is the Titan most closely associated with giving fire and useful knowledge to mortals. In Hesiod’s version, Zeus had withheld fire from humans, and Prometheus concealed stolen fire in a hollow fennel stalk before returning it to them. The act angered Zeus and set up the punishment that included Pandora’s creation.
The myth connects fire with civilization, craft, cooking, and technological power. Because ancient Greek authors told the story differently, details vary between Hesiod and later writers. Aeschylus, for example, presents Prometheus as a much broader teacher of the arts and sciences.
Prometheus’s theft is sometimes confused with the later punishment of Pandora’s husband, Epimetheus. The two events are linked but distinct: Prometheus gives fire to humanity, while Pandora’s arrival and the opening of the jar explain the spread of evils among humans.