In which Greek epic tradition is Pandora described as the first woman?

Pandora is described as the first woman in Hesiod’s poetry. Hesiod presents her creation and arrival among humans in the eighth-century BCE works Theogony and Works and Days.

In Hesiod’s account, Zeus orders the gods to create Pandora as part of his punishment of humanity after Prometheus steals fire. The story gives different emphasis in the two poems: Theogony focuses on her creation and deceptive beauty, while Works and Days develops the account of her container and the release of troubles.

Homer’s major epics, the Iliad and Odyssey, do not provide the standard Pandora narrative. This is why identifying Hesiod, rather than Homer, is important when tracing the earliest surviving literary treatment.

Pandora is not simply described as a goddess. She is fashioned from earth and equipped with divine gifts, making her a mythological bridge between the Olympian gods and human society.