In Greek mythology, Prometheus’s theft of fire led Zeus to punish humanity with Pandora. Prometheus, a Titan who supported humans, took fire from the gods and gave it to people, enabling technology, cooking, and civilization in later interpretations.
Hesiod presents the episode as an act that angers Zeus. Zeus first withholds fire from humans, but Prometheus restores it through his theft. In response, Zeus orders the creation of Pandora and sends her as a destructive gift to humanity. The story makes Pandora part of a larger conflict about divine authority and human progress.
Prometheus’s punishment is told in related myths: Zeus has him chained to a mountain, where an eagle repeatedly eats his liver. The hero Heracles eventually frees him in later tradition. That punishment is separate from Pandora’s opening of the container, although both episodes arise from the same conflict.
Some modern versions call Pandora a punishment for Prometheus personally. Hesiod’s account instead emphasizes consequences for humanity, while Prometheus receives a separate punishment for defying Zeus.