In Hesiod’s Theogony, Hephaestus made Pandora’s physical form at Zeus’s command.
Hephaestus was the Greek god of fire, metalworking, craftsmanship, and smithing. Hesiod describes Zeus ordering him to shape Pandora from earth, giving the figure a body made by divine craftsmanship. This episode places Pandora within a chain of gifts supplied by several gods.
The creation scene is part of Zeus’s response to Prometheus’s theft of fire. Rather than describing Pandora as emerging spontaneously, Hesiod presents her as a constructed figure, fashioned by a god famed for making extraordinary objects and beings. Her name is usually understood as meaning “all-gifted” or “all-giving,” depending on interpretation.
Later art and literature often portray Hephaestus as a lame smith working at an anvil, but Hesiod’s account emphasizes his productive skill rather than his physical appearance. Athena, Hermes, and other gods contribute different qualities in the same broader myth, so Hephaestus should not be confused with the deity who gives Pandora her craft or speech.