In Hesiod’s Pandora myth, Hermes gives Pandora a deceptive, persuasive voice.
In Works and Days, Pandora receives a collection of gifts from several gods. Hermes contributes a mind described as shameless and a deceptive character, helping explain why Pandora can speak persuasively. The episode presents her construction as a coordinated act by the Olympian gods rather than the work of one deity alone.
Different translations use slightly different wording. Hermes may be associated with speech, guile, or a “lying” nature, but the relevant role remains his. This should not be confused with Athena’s contributions, which are linked to clothing or craft in common summaries, or Aphrodite’s role in beauty and desire.
Hermes is especially suitable for this function because Greek mythology associates him with communication, cunning, mediation, and trickery. The Pandora episode therefore uses his familiar mythological traits to characterize the woman made as Zeus’s punishment for Prometheus’s theft of fire.