In Greek mythology, Prometheus’s theft of fire leads Zeus to create Pandora as a punishment for humanity.
Prometheus is a Titan associated with forethought, craft, and the protection of humans. In Hesiod’s account, he tricks Zeus during a sacrificial division and later steals fire for mortals. Zeus answers by making fire costly to humanity through the creation of Pandora.
The exact details vary among ancient authors. Aeschylus’s Prometheus Bound, for example, presents Prometheus as a dramatic benefactor of humanity and emphasizes the many arts he teaches people. Hesiod’s version is more focused on the chain of punishments that explains human labor and suffering.
Prometheus is often confused with Epimetheus because both names appear together in the story. Prometheus is the fire-bringer and the warning figure; Epimetheus receives Pandora despite that warning. Their contrasting names and actions are central to the myth’s structure.