In Hesiod’s Greek myth, Pandora was the woman created by the gods before opening Pandora’s jar.
Hesiod presents Pandora as the first woman in the Greek mythological tradition. The gods give her different qualities, including skill, beauty, and persuasive speech. Her name is commonly explained from Greek elements meaning “all-gifted” or “all-giving,” reflecting the gifts bestowed upon her.
Zeus sends Pandora to Epimetheus, the brother of Prometheus. Although Prometheus warns Epimetheus not to accept gifts from Zeus, Epimetheus takes Pandora as his wife. She later opens the container entrusted to her, allowing the evils inside to escape.
Later retellings often portray Pandora as simply curious or blameworthy, but Hesiod’s account is more closely tied to Zeus’s punishment of humanity. The myth also exists in more than one Hesiodic poem, with details differing between the Theogony and Works and Days.