In Hesiod’s Works and Days, Zeus’s first woman is named Pandora. The poem presents her as a divinely created figure sent to humanity after Prometheus obtained fire for mortals.
The Greek name Pandora is commonly interpreted as “all-gifted” or “the gift of all.” Hesiod’s story connects that meaning with the contributions made by several gods, who give her qualities, skills, adornments, or characteristics.
Pandora is not the same figure as Athena, Aphrodite, or Eve. Athena and Aphrodite help shape her attributes in the Greek account, while Eve belongs to the Hebrew Bible’s creation story. Pandora’s story is specifically part of Greek poetry and explains the arrival of suffering in the human world.
The familiar phrase “Pandora’s box” comes from later retellings. Hesiod’s original version refers to a storage jar, and the woman is named Pandora before the container becomes the central feature of the popular expression.