Which ancient Greek poem says Zeus sent Pandora to punish humanity?

Hesiod’s Works and Days says Zeus sent Pandora to punish humanity.

The poem connects Pandora’s arrival to Prometheus’s theft of fire. Zeus regards the gift of fire to mortals as an offense and orders the gods to create a beautiful woman as a deceptive gift. Pandora is then sent to Epimetheus, who accepts her despite his brother’s warning.

Works and Days is not only a mythological narrative. It is also a didactic poem about farming, justice, labor, social conduct, and the hardships of human life. Pandora’s story appears within that wider explanation of why people must work and endure suffering.

The Theogony, another poem by Hesiod, mentions the creation of women but does not provide the same complete jar episode. Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey also do not contain the standard Pandora story. This distinction matters because later summaries often merge several Greek traditions into one familiar narrative.