Hermes gave Pandora qualities of deception and persuasive speech in Hesiod’s account.
Hermes was the Olympian messenger and a god associated with travel, trade, boundaries, language, and cunning. In Works and Days, Zeus instructs Hermes to give Pandora a shameless mind and a deceitful nature. This contribution helps explain the myth’s warning about appearances and persuasive behavior.
Pandora’s other qualities come from several gods. Hephaestus shapes her, Athena teaches her crafts, and Aphrodite gives her grace and desire. The story builds her character through a sequence of divine contributions rather than attributing every feature to one god.
Modern retellings sometimes say Hermes gave Pandora curiosity, but that wording is not the clearest description of Hesiod’s original account. Curiosity is strongly associated with her opening the jar in later interpretations, while Hesiod emphasizes deception and the power of speech.