Hesiod tells the fullest surviving ancient Greek story of Pandora.
The myth appears in two works attributed to Hesiod: Theogony and Works and Days. Theogony briefly introduces Pandora in the story of Prometheus, while Works and Days gives the more developed account of her creation, the gods’ gifts, and the opening of the storage jar.
Hesiod probably composed these poems in the late eighth or early seventh century BCE, making them among the earliest surviving Greek literary sources for the myth. His version is not a modern adventure tale; it is part of a broader explanation for why human beings must labor and why suffering exists.
Later writers, translators, painters, and filmmakers expanded or altered the story. The familiar “box” wording, the emphasis on curiosity, and the strongly moralized image of Pandora all reflect later cultural development. When a retelling differs from Hesiod, the ancient poet’s Works and Days is the key source for comparison.