In Hesiod’s Works and Days, which god is ordered to make Pandora’s body?

In Hesiod’s Works and Days, Hephaestus is ordered to make Pandora’s body. Hephaestus is the Greek god of metalworking, craftsmanship, fire, and the forge. Zeus commands him to shape the woman from earth as part of the punishment imposed on humanity after Prometheus steals fire.

The creation is a collaborative divine project. After Hephaestus forms Pandora, other gods contribute gifts or qualities, including clothing, adornment, speech, and a deceptive nature. This sequence explains why the name Pandora is connected with gifts from the gods rather than with one particular deity’s creation.

A common mix-up comes from the better-known Pygmalion story, in which a sculptor’s statue becomes alive through divine intervention. Pandora’s creation is different: Hephaestus acts directly under Zeus’s order, and the other gods complete the figure with their contributions. Hesiod’s account also emphasizes that Pandora’s beauty and charm are part of the danger hidden within Zeus’s punishment.