In Hesiod’s myth, whose theft of fire led Zeus to send Pandora as a punishment?

In Hesiod’s myth, Prometheus’s theft of fire led Zeus to send Pandora as a punishment.

Prometheus is said to have taken fire from the gods and given it to humanity. Zeus responds by arranging the creation of Pandora, whom Hesiod describes as a beautiful evil or a harmful gift connected to the consequences of the theft.

This is why the Pandora story is often told together with the Prometheus myth. The two episodes explain different aspects of the relationship between gods and humans: Prometheus helps mortals by giving them fire, while Zeus answers with a punishment that introduces suffering.

The story is not a historical explanation of how fire was discovered. It is a Greek myth about divine power, human benefit, retaliation, and the costs attached to gifts. Prometheus’s role is also why he should not be confused with Epimetheus, the Titan who accepts Pandora.