In Greek mythology, Prometheus’s actions prompted Zeus to create Pandora.
Prometheus is the Titan who champions humanity in several Greek myths. In the Pandora tradition, he first tricks Zeus in a sacrifice story and later gives humans fire, an act that violates Zeus’s wishes. Zeus responds by planning a punishment for mortals, and Pandora becomes the instrument of that punishment.
Hesiod’s account is not identical to every later version of the Prometheus myth. The details of the sacrifice, the theft of fire, and Pandora’s creation can vary among ancient authors. Still, the broad narrative connection is stable: Prometheus’s assistance to humans leads Zeus to introduce a new source of suffering.
Prometheus should not be confused with Cronus, the older Titan who fathered Zeus, or with Epimetheus, Prometheus’s brother and Pandora’s husband. Prometheus’s name is associated with forethought, contrasting with Epimetheus’s association with afterthought, a contrast that reinforces their different roles in the story.