In Hesiod’s account, Zeus sent Pandora to Epimetheus.
The episode follows Prometheus’s theft of fire for humanity. Zeus responds by ordering the gods to create Pandora, who is fashioned as a beautiful woman and given gifts by several deities. Zeus then sends her to Epimetheus, Prometheus’s brother.
Prometheus had warned Epimetheus not to accept gifts from Zeus, but Epimetheus welcomed Pandora. Her arrival leads to the opening of the jar and the release of the forces that afflict human life.
The myth is part of Hesiod’s explanation for why suffering exists among mortals. It should not be confused with the later Roman story of Prometheus, where details and names can differ. In the Greek version, Zeus is the central divine authority directing Pandora’s creation and delivery.