In Greek mythology’s Pandora story, Zeus ordered Pandora’s creation as punishment for Prometheus giving fire to humans.
According to Hesiod, Prometheus deceived Zeus during a sacrifice and later stole fire for humanity. Zeus responded by planning a punishment that would affect humans rather than only Prometheus, whom he separately punished by chaining him to a mountain.
Pandora was fashioned by the gods and sent to Epimetheus, Prometheus’s brother. The story presents her arrival as part of Zeus’s wider retaliation for the theft of fire. Her sealed container eventually released destructive forces into the world.
Modern retellings often call the container a box, but Hesiod described a large storage jar. Zeus is the chief authority behind the plan; the other gods contribute different gifts and skills to Pandora’s creation.