In Greek mythology, Hephaestus created Pandora at Zeus’s command after Prometheus gave humans fire. This sequence connects Pandora’s story with the myth of divine punishment.
Prometheus steals fire from the gods and gives it to humanity, an act that allows humans to develop technology and civilization but angers Zeus. Zeus responds by ordering the gods to create Pandora as a beautiful woman whose arrival brings a new burden to humankind.
Hephaestus, the divine smith and craftsman, shapes Pandora from earth. The other gods then add their own gifts, making her a composite creation rather than the work of one deity alone.
Modern summaries sometimes describe Pandora as created simply because Zeus wanted to punish humanity. Hesiod’s narrative gives the punishment a specific cause: Prometheus’s theft of fire and his repeated conflict with Zeus.