Prometheus’s theft of fire led to Zeus sending Pandora in the familiar Greek myth.
Prometheus was a Titan associated with intelligence and foresight. In Hesiod’s account, he deceives Zeus during a sacrifice and later steals fire for humans, helping them develop skills and civilization. Zeus responds by arranging Pandora’s creation and sending her to Epimetheus.
This sequence makes Pandora’s story part of the larger Prometheus myth rather than an isolated tale about curiosity. Zeus’s punishment affects both Prometheus and humanity: Prometheus suffers a separate punishment, while humans receive a new source of hardship through Pandora and her vessel.
The details differ among ancient authors. Hesiod’s Works and Days is especially important for the connection between Pandora and human toil, while later writers often make Prometheus a more sympathetic champion of humanity. The answer is not Atlas, another famous Titan, because Atlas’s best-known punishment is holding up the sky.