In which ancient Greek poem is Pandora’s creation most fully described?

Pandora’s creation is most fully described in Hesiod’s ancient Greek poem Works and Days. The poem presents the story while explaining the origins of hardship in human life.

Hesiod describes Zeus ordering Hephaestus to make a woman from earth. Several gods then contribute qualities, clothing, or skills, creating a figure presented as a beautiful but dangerous gift to humanity. The poem connects Pandora’s arrival with the concealment of blessings and the release of evils from her container.

Hesiod also mentions Pandora in the Theogony, but the account there is much briefer and does not provide the same extended narrative. This is why Works and Days is the key source for the familiar version of the myth. The poem is not simply a collection of myths: it also offers advice about farming, justice, work, seafaring, and proper conduct.