In Hesiod’s Works and Days, Prometheus stole fire for humanity before Pandora appeared.
Prometheus was a Titan associated with forethought and with helping humankind. In the mythic sequence, he deceives Zeus during a sacrifice and later takes fire, returning it to humans. Zeus responds by devising Pandora as a punishment for humanity and as a consequence of Prometheus’s defiance.
Prometheus’s fire theft is often blended with other versions of his story, including accounts in which he creates humans or teaches them useful arts. The key connection to Pandora is that Zeus sends her after Prometheus’s offense. Epimetheus, Prometheus’s brother, accepts Pandora despite the warning not to accept gifts from Zeus.