In Hesiod’s Pandora myth, Pandora opened the sealed container first.
In Works and Days, Pandora is associated with a vessel containing destructive forces that had previously been kept away from human beings. She removes its covering, allowing the contents to escape into the world. Hesiod does not present the scene as a modern hinged box being dramatically opened; the ancient story concerns a large jar or pithos.
Epimetheus is often confused with the person who opened it because he is Pandora’s husband and receives her into his household. In the narrative, however, Pandora performs the act that releases the contents. Prometheus is connected with the theft of fire and with warnings about accepting gifts from Zeus, while Zeus is the god who arranges the larger punishment.
Later retellings vary in how they explain Pandora’s motive. Some portray curiosity, while the ancient text emphasizes the divine plan and the consequences for humanity rather than giving a fully developed psychological explanation.