In Greek mythology, Zeus gave Pandora to Epimetheus as a bride.
Hesiod presents Pandora as part of Zeus’s punishment of humanity after Prometheus stole fire for mortals. The gods equipped her with various gifts, and Zeus then sent her to Epimetheus, Prometheus’s brother. Epimetheus had been warned not to accept anything from Zeus, but he accepted Pandora nonetheless.
This detail places the story within the broader conflict between Zeus and Prometheus. Pandora is not described simply as an independent villain; she is created and dispatched within a divine plan directed by Zeus. Her arrival brings the hidden vessel and the troubles associated with it.
Later retellings often compress the myth into the phrase “Pandora’s box,” focusing on the opening rather than the marriage arrangement. Hesiod’s account instead connects Pandora’s marriage, the punishment of humanity, and Zeus’s authority in one continuous story.