Zeus orders Pandora’s creation as punishment for Prometheus’s theft of fire.
In Hesiod’s narrative, Prometheus tricks Zeus during a sacrifice and later steals fire for humanity. Zeus responds by arranging a new calamity for humans. He commands the gods to make Pandora, who is presented as a beautiful and deceptive gift sent to Epimetheus.
Zeus is the ruler of the Olympian gods and the central authority in this episode. The story links Pandora’s arrival to the conflict between Zeus and Prometheus rather than portraying her creation as an independent act. Each god contributes something to Pandora, but Zeus initiates the plan.
The myth is sometimes summarized as if Pandora herself were the punishment. Hesiod’s account is more complex: the punishment includes the deceptive woman and the troubles released from her container. Later retellings often soften or change these details, especially Pandora’s role and the moral of the story.