In Hesiod’s myth, Zeus commanded Hephaestus to shape Pandora from clay.
Hephaestus was the Greek god of fire, metalworking, craftsmanship, and technology. His role as divine smith made him the natural figure to fashion the first woman in Zeus’s plan. Hesiod describes the gods contributing gifts and qualities after Hephaestus formed her.
The creation story connects technical craftsmanship with divine authority. Pandora is not born through ordinary human reproduction; she is assembled as a deliberate response to Prometheus’s theft of fire and Zeus’s desire to punish humanity.
Hephaestus is sometimes confused with Prometheus because both are associated with fire. Their roles differ sharply in the myth: Prometheus steals fire for humans, while Hephaestus follows Zeus’s command in creating Pandora.