Prometheus gave fire to humans in Greek mythology, in a story often paired with Pandora’s myth.
Prometheus is a Titan who sided with humanity in several ancient Greek accounts. In the best-known version, he stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans. Zeus punished him by having him chained to a mountain, where an eagle repeatedly ate his liver; because Prometheus was immortal, the organ regenerated.
Hesiod connects Prometheus’s conflict with Zeus to the creation of Pandora. In Works and Days, Zeus sends Pandora as part of a punishment directed at humanity after Prometheus’s deception and theft. The two stories therefore form related episodes in an explanation of human hardship.
Prometheus is sometimes confused with Epimetheus, Pandora’s husband. Their names and roles contrast: Prometheus represents forethought, while Epimetheus represents hindsight. Atlas and Cronus are also Titans, but neither is the fire-bringer in this myth.