In Hesiod’s Pandora story, Zeus sent her as part of his punishment of humanity.
The punishment follows Prometheus’s theft of fire for humans. Zeus responds by arranging the creation of Pandora, who is fashioned by Hephaestus and endowed with gifts from other gods. Zeus then has her taken to Epimetheus, Prometheus’s brother.
The narrative presents Pandora as a divine instrument within a larger conflict between Zeus and Prometheus. It is not simply a story about curiosity. Hesiod connects the release of evils with the consequences of Prometheus’s attempt to improve the human condition by giving people fire.
Later retellings often focus on Pandora’s action while giving less attention to Zeus’s role and the Prometheus episode. The myth also reflects ancient Greek explanations for why suffering exists in human life. Its details vary across ancient and modern versions, but Zeus remains the central authority behind the punishment in Hesiod’s account.