In Hesiod’s account, Hermes sent Pandora to Epimetheus as part of Zeus’s punishment.
After the gods create and equip Pandora, Zeus arranges for her to be taken to Epimetheus. Hermes is the divine messenger who delivers her, linking the episode to his broader role as a carrier of messages, people, and divine commands.
This detail is often lost in simplified versions of the story, which usually focus only on Pandora opening the jar. The myth actually includes a sequence: Zeus orders the creation, Hephaestus shapes Pandora, several gods provide attributes, Hermes names and delivers her, and Epimetheus accepts her.
Hermes should not be confused with Hephaestus, who makes Pandora’s body, or with Zeus, who initiates the plan. These separate roles explain why multiple gods appear in summaries of the same event.