In Greek mythology, Prometheus gave fire to humanity, prompting Zeus’s punishment involving Pandora.
Prometheus is a Titan associated with forethought, craftsmanship, and the protection of human beings. In the best-known version of the fire myth, he stole fire from the gods and delivered it to humans. This act gave humanity a powerful tool and symbolized knowledge, technology, and civilization.
Zeus responded by punishing Prometheus and by arranging a separate punishment for humanity. Pandora was created and sent to Prometheus’s brother, Epimetheus. Her sealed vessel contained destructive forces that had previously been absent from human life in the myth.
The fire episode and Pandora’s story are linked in Hesiod’s Works and Days, although later authors expanded and reshaped the details. Prometheus is also famous for being chained to a mountain, where an eagle repeatedly ate his liver as punishment.