In Hesiod’s account, which Greek goddess taught Pandora weaving?

The story behind the answer

In Hesiod’s account, Athena taught Pandora weaving. Athena was the Greek goddess associated with wisdom, strategy, crafts, and textile work, making weaving an appropriate gift within the creation story.

Pandora’s attributes are presented as contributions from multiple gods. Hephaestus forms her body from earth, while Athena gives her skill in weaving and adorns her. Other divine gifts help explain why her name is traditionally interpreted as “all-gifted.” The episode is part of Hesiod’s larger explanation for why human life includes suffering and labor.

Athena’s weaving should not be confused with Aphrodite’s association with beauty or Hermes’ role in giving Pandora speech and a deceptive mind in some translations. Different translations vary in wording and in how they describe the gifts, but Athena’s connection with weaving is a stable feature of the Hesiodic tradition.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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