In Hesiod’s Works and Days, Hermes gave Pandora a deceptive voice and speech.
The poem describes Zeus directing the gods to create Pandora after Prometheus brought fire to humanity. Hephaestus shapes her, Athena teaches her crafts, and other deities provide qualities that make her attractive and persuasive. Hermes, the messenger god, contributes a voice and a deceptive nature in many translations of the passage.
The wording varies between translations because ancient Greek terms can be rendered in more than one way. Some versions emphasize lies, guile, or a treacherous mind rather than using exactly the phrase “deceptive voice.” The underlying attribution remains Hermes.
This detail is easy to confuse with Hermes’s role as messenger. In the Pandora story, his contribution is not merely the ability to communicate; it is connected with persuasive, deceitful speech. The passage helps explain why Pandora is presented as a dangerous gift rather than a neutral creation.