In Greek mythology, what was Zeus punishing humanity for when he sent Pandora to Epimetheus?

In Greek mythology, Zeus sent Pandora to Epimetheus as punishment for Prometheus’s theft of fire.

Hesiod presents Pandora’s creation as part of Zeus’s response to Prometheus’s deception and his decision to give fire to mortals. Fire represented a major advantage for human beings, supporting cooking, crafts, metalworking, and civilization. Zeus therefore arranged a corresponding hardship for humanity rather than simply punishing Prometheus alone.

Pandora was made by Hephaestus and equipped with gifts from the gods before being brought to Epimetheus. Prometheus had warned his brother not to accept anything from Zeus, but Epimetheus accepted Pandora. The story then explains the arrival of suffering among humans.

Later retellings often describe Pandora’s action as motivated by curiosity, but Hesiod’s account emphasizes the larger divine plan and the conflict between Zeus and Prometheus. The myth is therefore both an origin story for human troubles and a continuation of the Prometheus cycle.