In Greek mythology, Zeus orders Hephaestus to create Pandora. The command follows Prometheus’s theft of fire and forms the central link between the Titan’s rebellion and the troubles Pandora brings to humanity.
Hesiod describes Zeus as directing the divine craftsman to shape a woman from earth. Hephaestus then makes Pandora, while other gods supply clothing, abilities, and characteristics. Zeus’s purpose is punitive: Pandora is sent as part of a larger plan to offset the advantage that Prometheus gave humans through fire.
Later retellings often simplify the story by saying that Hephaestus alone creates Pandora. The original poetic account is more layered. Zeus initiates the plan, Hephaestus performs the physical crafting, and several gods participate in completing the figure. This distinction also separates Pandora from later artistic images in which she is shown emerging from a vessel.