In Hesiod’s Pandora myth, Zeus instructed Hermes to give Pandora a deceptive mind.
Hesiod’s account presents Pandora as a deliberate creation of Zeus after Prometheus gave fire to humanity. Zeus directs the gods in making a woman whose appearance and qualities will bring difficulty to humankind. Hermes, the messenger god, is associated with giving Pandora a deceptive or misleading mind and a lying character in translations of Hesiod.
The wording varies among English translations because the ancient Greek text is rendered differently. Some versions emphasize a “shameless mind,” while others highlight deceit, cunning, or false speech. These differences do not change the central identification of Zeus as the directing deity.
This detail is distinct from the gods who provide Pandora’s physical adornments or other attributes. Athena, Aphrodite, Hermes, and other divine figures contribute separate elements in the story. The myth’s point is that Pandora’s qualities are assembled through divine instruction rather than arising accidentally.