In Greek mythology, Zeus ordered the creation of Pandora, the first woman in Hesiod’s account.
Hesiod presents Pandora as part of Zeus’s punishment of humanity after Prometheus stole fire and gave it to mortals. Zeus commands the gods to make a beautiful woman, and each deity contributes something to her appearance or abilities. Hermes then takes Pandora to Epimetheus.
The myth is told in both Hesiod’s Theogony and Works and Days, although the detailed account of Pandora’s creation appears especially in Works and Days. The story reflects ancient Greek ideas about divine power, labor, suffering, and the origins of human troubles.
Modern retellings sometimes describe Pandora as independently deciding to punish humanity, but Hesiod places the plan with Zeus. Pandora’s name is usually explained as “all-gifted” or “all-giving,” referring to the gifts supplied by the gods. The myth is not a single fixed narrative across all later Greek literature and art.