In Hesiod’s account of Pandora, Hermes gave Pandora a deceptive or treacherous mind.
Pandora is created through contributions from several gods. Hephaestus shapes her from earth, while other deities provide beauty, skill, clothing, adornment, and speech. Hermes, the messenger god, contributes a mind characterized by deception or cunning in the account preserved by Hesiod.
This detail is often simplified or omitted in modern retellings, which portray Pandora mainly as curious. Hesiod’s description is broader and more negative: Pandora is designed as part of Zeus’s punishment and is equipped with qualities that make her alluring while concealing danger.
Hermes is a particularly fitting contributor in the myth because Greek tradition associates him with communication, cleverness, trade, boundaries, and trickery. His role here should not be confused with Hephaestus’s role as the god who physically fashions Pandora.