In Greek mythology, Hermes gave Pandora a deceptive or treacherous mind. Hesiod’s description of Pandora’s divine gifts includes qualities associated with deception, persuasion, and a character that contributes to the danger surrounding her arrival.
Hermes was the Olympian messenger and a god associated with travel, trade, boundaries, cleverness, and trickery. His involvement fits the myth’s portrayal of Pandora as a carefully assembled creation whose attributes serve Zeus’s plan. Hephaestus makes her form, while other gods contribute qualities, skills, or adornments.
The exact wording differs between translations of Hesiod, so English editions may describe Hermes as giving her a shameless mind, a lying nature, or a deceptive character. These phrases refer to the same broad episode rather than to separate gifts in every translation. This fact is distinct from the story’s later association with curiosity: Hesiod’s account focuses on the divine construction of Pandora and the jar, while the idea that curiosity caused her to open it becomes especially prominent in later retellings.