In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire for humanity, leading Zeus to create Pandora as punishment. The story makes Pandora part of a larger conflict between Zeus and the Titan who favored mortals.
Prometheus is described as a benefactor of humanity in several ancient traditions. In Hesiod’s account, he deceived Zeus during a sacrifice and later stole fire, hiding it in a fennel stalk. Zeus responded by arranging the creation of Pandora, whose arrival brought a new source of suffering to humans.
Later Greek and Roman writers expanded Prometheus’s role, sometimes presenting him as the creator of humanity or as a champion of civilization. Those additions are not identical to Hesiod’s earliest account. Pandora’s myth is therefore best understood alongside the separate but connected myths of sacrifice, fire, and divine punishment.