Hesiod first told the story of Pandora’s jar in a surviving work.
The myth appears in two poems attributed to Hesiod: the Theogony and Works and Days. The Theogony gives a brief account, while Works and Days provides more detail about Pandora, her creation, and the jar’s contents.
Hesiod wrote in ancient Greece, probably during the late eighth or early seventh century BCE. His poems are among the earliest surviving Greek literary works and are major sources for Greek mythology.
The story is often linked with Prometheus, who stole fire for humanity. In Hesiod’s account, Pandora is sent to humans as part of Zeus’s punishment after that theft. Later retellings changed details, including the famous “box” wording.